Conservation is rather high on the global agenda at the moment. News of monthly ‘Youth Strikes 4 Climate’, high profile Extinction Rebellion demonstrations in the UK and the proposed and much debated ‘Green New Deal’ in the US seem to fill newsfeeds while students shut away studying over the exam period. While this seemingly near constant tide of activism continues it may seem that there is nothing students can do. While many may recycle, opt for a reusable coffee cup or even attend demonstrations, it would appear that student action is limited to these small, yet, of course, vital acts. However, there is another option.

The RSPB is reaching out and addressing an issue often ignored in the continuous stream of news concerning climate change: inclusion in the conservation sector. A spokesperson for the RSPB was keen to point out the need for inclusion in their own organisation and the sector more broadly, ‘this work involves a wide spectrum of skill sets and interests and welcomes anyone who wants to make the difference and save nature.’ They continued ‘we want to say to people, no matter what your race, religion, gender, economic status or sexual orientation – if you want to make a difference, then we want to hear from you.’

Inclusion is important in all sectors, but now more than ever is needed in conservation. An inclusive workforce is able to offer a diverse, inclusive and innovative range of solutions. Therefore, with an issue as complex and multi-faceted as climate change, diversity is paramount. As the full extent of climate change is gradually realised through new studies, activism and the 24-hour news cycle, new climate-related issues continually arise. From fast fashion to unsustainable food production and plastic waste, it may seem that conservation is very much fragmented at this point in time. The fact that 90% of the world’s seabirds are estimated to have fragments of plastic in their stomach and only a quarter of land on Earth is substantively free of the impacts of human activities, as the WWF Living Planet report revealed, is overwhelming.

Yet the crucial link is wildlife in vast, intertwined, astonishingly complex yet fragile ecosystems. Equally, an inclusive workforce and base of volunteers is a crucial, as issues created by climate change impact everyone. Currently in Birmingham, grassroots, urban movements are establishing themselves. For example, the Black Environment Network and Starlings LGBT are leading the way in drawing the connection between climate change and the need for inclusivity.

This comes at a time when the increasingly popular phrase ‘climate justice’ is being used to articulate the importance of inclusion. This is the idea that the far-reaching and devastating results of climate change must be seen through the lens of justice, proposing that those who are least responsible for climate change often suffer its consequences the most. A fitting example would be Hurricane Katrina. The category five storm swept across Florida and Louisiana over a decade ago leaving a trail of destruction that disproportionately affected low income, black communities who lacked the resources to evacuate in time. Understanding this makes the need for inclusion clear, as a more representative workforce in conservation may highlight and work towards a solution to the unfair impacts of climate change.

In a recent survey of UK environmental professionals, only 0.6% were from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. At the RSPB 1.6% of employees self-identified as being from a BAME background, and numbers of volunteers from these backgrounds were also very low. In comparison, 22% of students in higher education are from BAME backgrounds, with 9% studying direct feeder subjects to environment-related professions. This disparity is part of a wider disconnect between minority communities and the environment. This is demonstrated by the fact that white British respondents were more likely to have visited natural areas (with the exception of local parks) than respondents who identify as Black, Asian or from other ethnic minority.

With their drive to be more inclusive, the RSPB is keen to repair this disconnect. Their roles, whether voluntary or employment, allow members to reconnect with nature and continue their legacy. The charity was set up over 130 years ago by a group of pioneering women eager to bring an end of the harmful plumage trade, making them very much the grandmothers to today’s anti-fast fashion movement. From these inclusive and progressive roots, the charity hopes to grow. They noted that ‘due to the origins of the RSPB, people’s perception is that it’s only concerned about birds. While that is our core mission […] we are involved in a range of activities to champion all green spaces, including education outreach, research, consultancy and behaviour change.’

With climate change activism more visible and essential than ever, a career or voluntary role in the conservation sector is open to all regardless of their background or indeed their degree discipline. Creative, innovative solutions are necessary, and these may be provided by an equally inclusive, creative and innovative group, to reiterate the words of the RSPB, ‘if you want to make a difference, then we want to hear from you.’

All quotes and statistics from this article provided by the RSPB.