We live in a time where anthropogenic environmental change and biodiversity loss are pervasive and persistent problems around the globe. Here, we share our Canadian perspectives on what we consider to be a desperate and urgent search for effective solutions. Despite the valiant efforts of many individuals and organizations, we continue to fail in this regard. Solutions that are durable and effective are entirely possible if we take actions to identify what works and then to implement those solutions at relevant scales. We identify actions that have the potential to contribute to this goal such as move beyond the status quo; embrace wicked problems; conduct mechanistic management-scale experiments; improve accountability and transparency; learn from failure; engage in interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral, and cross-jurisdictional collaboration; create space for Indigenous knowledge systems and other ways of knowing; empower individuals and communities to act; acknowledge that the world is not static; recognize that there are nefarious forces at play; embed environmental problem-solving into education; and celebrate and share successes. Given geopolitical uncertainty, such progress will be challenging but it is extremely critical that it happens. We are hopeful that Canada will support and model such efforts based on the wise use of and respect for the rich natural resources we have in this country.
Cooke et al. (Thu,) studied this question.