Photo courtesy of Rico Rau
Rico Rau is an environmental policy advocate focused on land restoration and soil conservation as part of the Save Soil Movement and the UNCCD Youth Caucus. In a GEF Voices interview, he shared his perspective on building consensus and community in support of a better and healthier future.
What do you do for a living? What are you currently focused on?
I work with the Save Soil Movement in South India, where I co-coordinate efforts in research and policy advocacy to raise global awareness about the soil crisis and its potential solutions. In addition, I am the Global Focal Point for the UNCCD Youth Caucus. I co-coordinate the convention’s youth wing with the objective of engaging and educating young people about the convention and its processes.
What do you enjoy about working with the UNCCD Youth Caucus?
It is a very interesting space to be in. I am always grateful to be able to work with people across the planet. The diversity and intercultural knowledge one can experience here is truly invaluable. Apart from the interesting differences, the many similarities between people often surprise me. Even though everyone grew up in very distinct environments we often speak the same language. It really speaks for the globalized world we now live in.
What perspectives do you think may be missing in large international meetings?
I attended UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh and UNFCCC SB62 in Bonn. I think decisions are often based on immediate threats and challenges which the world faces today or might face in the near-term. While it is of course important to address them, we need to play the long game as well. Especially young people do not only care what is happening in the next 5 years, but rather what is the outlook for the next decades to come. When we look at food production for example, it could get really, really, difficult after the 2050s if current trends of land and soil degradation continue. We need to highlight these dramatic long-term risks with a lot of determination since they might not be taken into consideration otherwise.
What have you learned from your work in environmental advocacy?
Advocating in this international space is a delicate process. The world coming together to solve humanity’s problems is a very recent phenomenon in human history. Therefore, the process of international collaboration can be quite slow at times, and it is difficult, if not impossible sometimes, to find consensus between all parties and stakeholders involved. I learned to be a bit more patient and to put myself in other peoples’ shoes during that process. I think having understanding for each other is a more promising way to solving challenges in a collaborative manner than simply judging each other.
How did you get into this line of work?
During my master’s degree in economics in Germany, I specialized in environmental policy. After initial interest in the energy sector, I felt that the world’s attention was already very much focused on the necessary transition towards renewables. Therefore, I decided to explore the publicly under-represented topic of soil degradation after I was inspired by Sadhguru – the founder of the Save Soil Movement.
Has anyone you have met through your work made a lasting impact on you?
My co-workers with Save Soil inspire me regularly by showing continuous commitment to the project and our mission. Even though they don’t get a paycheck as volunteers, many work more than 40 hours a week to find solutions to global challenges humanity is facing, including land degradation.
What life lessons has your job taught you?
It is impossible to please everyone you come in touch with. If you work with many people, there will be some friction here and there. However, I try to focus on the common intentions that I share with people. For example, people might have different opinions about how to tackle the problem of land degradation but still, the intention is the same. In the same way, people have different ideas on how to live a good life, but everyone wants well-being. If we focus on deep-rooted similarities instead of differences on the surface, I believe we will be able to collaborate more effectively.
The state of the global environment is concerning. What gives you hope?
Working in global spaces, I have seen that there are millions of individuals and organizations who understand both the problems and solutions to the climate crisis. If so many people are willing to devote their lives to addressing this, I think we will come out of a challenging 21st century with an amazing future ahead.
What advice would you give a young person interested in a career like yours?
Get out of your comfort zone. Even if things seem difficult in the beginning, the benefits will be far greater than the initial investment. Whether it is learning a new language, leaving your home, or supporting your community in difficult times, challenges will only make you grow, which will benefit you and everyone around you moving forward.
