RESEARCH
President McInnis Attends People for Planet Summit in London
Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis joined Turkana Basin Institute Chief Executive Officer Dino J. Martins at the People for Planet Summit in London, England on November 7.
The Summit celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) and brought together the world’s top conservation experts from across the Global South, representing projects from Africa, Asia and South America. They discussed solutions to address the urgent challenges facing our planet, raised awareness about solutions to biodiversity loss and climate change, and provided inspiration to people to take action.
Martins was one of 12 established conservation leaders from the WFN Winner Network who spoke at the event. Martins is a two-time Whitley Award winner, having won in 2009 and the Whitley Gold Award in 2015.
“As part of both the Whitley Fund for Nature and Stony Brook University, I am honoured to contribute to the big picture of biodiversity conservation by through sharing the messages from the littlest creatures that help run the world,” Martins said.
“The Summit was a wonderful opportunity to hear thoughtful insights from on-the-ground conservation entrepreneurs working to tackle biodiversity loss and climate change, which continue to be top priorities for Stony Brook as the anchor institution selected to develop The New York Climate Exchange,” said President Maurie McInnis. “It was an honor to join Dino at the Summit and I am so grateful to have such a renowned conservationist as part of our Stony Brook community.”
Martins joined four other world-renowned nature conservationists in telling frontline tales about big wins and breakthroughs to preserve nature. He also co-presented a talk on “Pollinators and the Economy: Humanity’s £135 million food debt to bees, bats and butterflies,” which laid out a pesticide-free roadmap to help protect pollinators globally.
WFN has given £20 million to support the work of more than 200 grassroots conservation leaders, benefiting wildlife and communities in over 80 countries across the Global South.
President McInnis joined Martins and the other award winners November 9 at St. James’s Palace at a dinner celebrating the Whitley Fund for Nature. It was hosted by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, a Patron of the Whitley Fund.