The official definition of conservation, as per Merriam-Webster, is to preserve and protect. Whilst broad by nature, oftentimes conservation is only thought of in terms of the protection of endangered species.
It is so much more than that, say those Devex spoke to on the sidelines of the 8th International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Asia Regional Conservation Forum in Bangkok, Thailand. However, because of this misconception, it is often siloed from the broader development agenda.
Yet conservation plays a critical role in the Sustainable Development Goals. SDG 15, life on land, for example, focuses on protecting and restoring land-based ecosystems while SDG 14, life below water, is centered around conserving oceans and marine resources.