Is biodiversity still salvageable? A “future generation tribunal” decides
“Can we give back what we took from the living? “No, this is not a Philo 2022 graduation question, but the title of an evening organized by the LVMH Group this Wednesday, May 11, in the large auditorium of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. Can we give back what we took from the living? Put differently, the question is: Is it still possible to preserve all biotopes and biodiversity or else human civilization? pride The Anthropocene, is too far gone to hope to repair the damage and return one day previous state ?
To answer this thorny question, LVMH has set up a court for those who, by definition, do not yet have it, that is, with the intention of giving voice to future generations. This “tribunal of the future generation” will be presided over by Karin Vergniol (former journalist of BFM Business) and will consist, like all courts worthy of the name, of a defense lawyer, a prosecutor (two journalists from the newspaper “Uzbek and Rika”) and a seven-person jury. (Notably essayist Julien Vidal and Samuel Vandelle, president of the Young Farmers’ Union). All biodiversity themes will be illuminated by experts, including Pierre Canet, WWF’s Director of Advocacy.
Sequel after commercial
All aspects of the solution
At the end of the debate, the jury and the public (about 300 people) will give their verdicts separately – and it will be interesting to note the possible difference between those who believe in the effectiveness of the solution to save the planet and think they have arrived too late. Helen Valade, director of environmental development at LVMH, explains:
” Our civilization is going through a real cultural revolution and, legitimately, it wonders: is it possible to leave the Anthropocene and enter a new alliance with the living, where our relationships will be completely redesigned? And if so, how to redesign? Should we create spaces from which people are completely absent or Clean technology, regenerative agriculture and biomimetic industries [imitant les vertus de la nature] Can we repair the damage we’ve done? »
Obviously there are no easy answers to these numerous questions. “That is why the tribunal format seemed to us to be an ideal structure, continued Helen Valade. This makes it possible to test all aspects of the proposed solutions and verify their validity. »
“We are all environmental criminals, but some more than others.”
Another question arises: Why is the world’s number one luxury seeker asking questions that we imagine are more reserved for followers of Bruno Latour or Dennis Meadows? “All aspects of our activity depend on this new relationship with biodiversity: vineyards, of course, but also the cultivation of silk, cotton, floriculture. [pour les parfums]…Listed by Hélène Valade. Our teams must have been made aware of this new alliance. “A long-term task.
