Dr Stephanie Wray, Founder of Athene Consulting and ecology expert, warns that nature is in rapid decline, and we’re not stopping the destruction yet. Stepping back and acknowledging the unsustainable damage being done to the environment is mandatory. For centuries, humans have distanced themselves from nature, seeing it as separate. But we’re part of nature, relying on it for clean water, air, food, timber, and more. Without it, our societies and economies cannot thrive.
The construction industry plays a pivotal role in this relationship. With every building project, land use and resource extraction impact the environment directly. Dr Wray stresses that built environment professionals have the power to shift the balance. Through innovative designs and sustainable supply chains, we must make being ‘nature positive’ the new norm. Every project should ask, “Is this helping or harming nature?” This must become our standard approach, embedding environmental thinking into every decision we make. A nature positive future is not a choice, it’s a necessity.
