Daniel Davis: A not-so-distant future

So… about 7 hours before I leave for New York, and take one of the biggest steps in my career. Water is a staple in our life, but a global future with recognisable ecosystems is at a tipping point. Our actions determine which way it will go, and a known world with known hazards is a safer future than an unknown one. The longer we deny and pretend, the further the idyllic past pushes away from our capabilities.  

I’m a Kiwi, a beach boy who has grown up by the sea, tasted the salt, and swum with the dolphins. The ocean defines us as it defines our nation, yet the degradation of our oceans is only exceeded by that our land. Our future is in our nature, but we have failed to take seriously our responsibilities as kaitiaki (~guardians) of the land. We are a country that could be a global leader in earth protection, especially with our marine environments, yet we continue to shirk our responsibilities. The government fails to prioritise the environment, our future, and underfunded NGOs struggle to pick up the slack. We are going underwater, both figuratively and literally, and we just need the government to help bail. 

Oceans are in our blood, but they are turning sour. Plastics, overfishing and acidification are all affecting (and for the most part destroying) native ecosystems and changing the physical geography of everywhere within the vast oceans. These are effects caused by unhealthy human inhabitation, with the names of pollution and climate change, such things that are deemed to be “nonsense” by the current leader of a global leader - the US. If this is the world we live in, where political leaders of major players are allowed to deny a truth of our current world, what will be our future?? 

Anyway so welcome to my blogs, they’re likely to be short, argumentative, and likely degrading of society, government or something :)

Yay,
Daniel
P.S. I'll be using my snapchat ponyindenial, my instagram @denial_davis and my twitter (most of all) @daniel_rawhiti for all updates while over there

All posts by Institute delegates reflect their own thoughts, opinions and experiences, and do not reflect those of the Institute.

Posted on May 26, 2017 and filed under UN Ocean Conference 2017.