Life and achievements
Early life
Norman Myers was born on August 24, 1934, in Whitewell, Lancashire, and was a farm boy with no electricity or gas. This early experience reinforced Myers' love of the countryside, even though at school he had been more interested in languages than in sciences. He went to Oxford University and read both French and German before joining the Colonial Service in Kenya in 1958. His stay in Kenya was the start of what would always be a passion for the wildlife and geography of Africa. Myers also practiced learning the language of the area where he served as a district officer; therefore, he was fluent in Swahili and Maasai.
Myers' career finally began to turn towards environmental conservation in Kenya. His assignments as a wildlife photojournalist and writer made him explore the reasons for species' extermination and loss of habitats. So, he enrolled in the Ph.D. program in environmental conservation at the University of California, Berkeley. Myers received his doctorate in 1973, and his subsequent studies of cheetahs and leopards in Kenya increased his recognition as an up-and-coming environmental scientist. His work would focus on his interest in the relationships between species, their habitats, and anthropogenic factors.
Legacy
Norman Myers is rightfully considered one of the most influential and innovative scholars of contemporary environmentalism. His work on 'biodiversity hotspots,' which started in the late 1980s, offered a tactical plan for where to focus efforts, with the areas of the world with the highest levels of endemism and the most significant threats of habitat destruction.
Over the years, most conservationist bodies have embraced this idea, leading to the mobilization of billions of shillings to protect these sensitive habitats. Myers' work on tropical deforestation, especially his discovery of the "Hamburger Connection," helped to highlight the environmental toll of industrial food production and how the consumption patterns of Western society were linked to the destruction of the biosphere in the Third World.
Apart from the study of biodiversity, Myers was the pioneer in understanding so-called environmental refugees. These people must leave their homes because of climate change, desertification, or natural disasters. Some of his forecasts on the growth of environmental refugees were criticized in the past, but seem logical in the contemporary world where climate change has caused many people to be displaced.
Myers' call for recognizing environmental pollution as a matter of security marked the seed of today's climate change and human displacement debates. In his professional life, Myers consulted several international organizations, such as the United Nations and the World Bank, and was awarded many times for his work in the field of conservation, for example, the Blue Planet Prize and the Volvo Environment Prize. He was also honored by the British government by being included in the Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG). His field research and policy-making for environmental science are still inspiring the current environmental frameworks and guidelines.
Milestone moments
Mar 13, 1958
Applying for the Colonial Service in Kenya
Norman Myers started his working career in 1958 in the Colonial Service as a district officer in Kenya.
This gave him the opportunity to learn more about the wildlife and natural resources of East Africa, and he developed a lifetime passion for protecting the environment and wildlife.
While in Kenya, Myers also picked up the Swahili and Maasai languages and became an environmentalist.
Feb 7, 1973
How to Get a Ph.D. in Environmental Conservation
In 1973, Myers received his Ph.D. in environmental conservation at the University of California at Berkeley.
His doctoral work involved studying cheetah and leopard species in Kenya, which put him on the map regarding wildlife conservation.
This was the start of Myers' career as an environmental scientist and consultant for international organizations.
Aug 30, 1979
The Sinking Ark's Publication
In 1979, Myers published the book The Sinking Ark, which claimed species turnover was happening much faster than previously believed.
This book is considered one of the first to draw focus to the problem of mass extinction, eventually leading to calls for conservation.
Myers' statements about species loss might be exaggerated, but they played an essential role in raising awareness of the need to protect species.
Feb 14, 1981
The Hamburger Connection
Myers first addressed the issue in 1981 in the article The Hamburger Connection, in which he associated deforestation in Central and South America with Americans' love of beef.
His work demonstrated that feed production for cattle raising to supply hamburgers was causing tropical forest destruction; this was a discovery in the early 90s.
This linkage between industrial agriculture and environmental degradation was turned into focus as one of the significant subjects of debate in the global discourse on sustainable development.