Is biodiversity important?
The maintenance of biodiversity is considered a ‘soft issue’ by many concerned in business, economic development and policy making; an issue that does not respond well to integration in their immediate models and systems. At the same time, it is accepted that biodiversity is something that should concern everyone, despite the constraints imposed by international politics. The result is a lack of in-depth understanding of how diversification of flora and fauna can be encouraged and supported by policy development. What is eco-efficiency? The idea that any improved efficiency benefiting business processes will also automatically benefit the environment has gained much support in the last five years. International and European mechanisms such as standards and regulations on environmental management systems and environmental auditing have certainly helped drive the concept home to many businesses. Yet eco-efficiency is only the first step down a road that leads to environmental sustainabil
