“Humanity is waging a war on nature. This is suicidal. Nature always strikes back — and is already doing so with growing force and fury . . . human activities are at the root of our descent toward chaos. But that means human action can help to solve it.
—António Guterres, Secretary General, UN (Dec 2, 2020)
Mangrove roots and soils store huge amounts of carbon!
The home page slide show are images of Minesing Wetlands, Ontario.
STATEMENT
I have been a climate activist most of my professional life. I directed the City of Toronto’s climate agency for nine years and organized an international network of 300+ climate protection cities, among the first governments to undertake actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
My photography is about elucidating the beauty of natural landscapes in all their complexity, especially those being altered by sea level rise, extreme weather, flooding, and drought. If we can save them, these nature-based assets can in turn save us by absorbing carbon from the atmosphere. For instance, wetlands—especially mangroves in the tropics—remove carbon from the atmosphere as fast as conventional forests. There isn’t a more robust carbon storage habitat, except perhaps the seabed or Arctic permafrost. Saving wetlands, along with forests, can save the climate and us.
Public advocacy remains an essential part of my life, so it is a part of my workflow. Through partnerships with environmental NGOs, I license my images gratis to promote public awareness and action.
My work has been exhibited across Canada, the U.S., and the U.K. Major gallery exhibits in Toronto and Vancouver during 2019 and 2020 showcased significant North American wetlands. International companies and museums, such as Unilever and the V&A Museum in London, have collected and exhibited my work.
WATCH A SHORT DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S APPROACH TO NATURE HERE.