The IWMC World Conservation Trust, headed by President Eugene Lapointe, former Secretary of CITES, responds with what he argues is a more useful perspective.  Lapointe agrees that in some areas, human activity should be modified in order to lessen certain specific ecosystem damage.  Examples of such modification may include better control of water borne nutrients from agricultural operations, including domestic stock management, and a more appropriately controlled use of field fertilizers. 

Another area may be that of reduction of ocean-fishing capacity by some nations, and in some cases, a lessening of fishing by-catch.  He noted that developed nations may need to more highly prioritize control of preventable pollution and waste, as much if not more than less developed ones, and that in some cases, this shall be a difficult national political decision. 

President Lapointe cautioned, however, that the scientific studies of ecosystem monitoring and scientists’ efforts to reduce human-caused habitat damage are constantly evolving fields. “It is important that people everywhere attempt to ensure that resource use is sustainable for the long term, but humans will always have to be housed, fed, medicated, educated and transported, and this requires vast amounts of energy expenditure.  We will always have to pay a price for that.  Human beings are still learning how to prevent or minimize air and water pollution, and to more efficiently use fresh water resources.  These efforts and recycling of water resources are areas of practical science which must be supported by all nations to the best of their abilities”, he said. 

While commending the efforts at ecosystem monitoring which are being made by various organizations,  Mr. Lapointe noted that the world has always been in a state of constant change, which human technology is only recently capable of quantifying on a global scale.  He noted that human beings must not be entirely pessimistic about the state of the earth, but should be prepared to support their governments’ efforts to keep damage to a minimum while adapting to the changes which have already taken place.�