Species extinction is accelerating at an ever-increasing pace – as many as 10,000 species are now lost annually by some counts. The effects are much more serious than many people think. Harvard University scientist, Professor E. O. Wilson, is stepping up efforts to raise public awareness of this issue and wants politicians and business to listen. A speaker at OECD Forum 2001, Professor Wilson spoke to Environmental Science and Technology’s Kris Christen about the challenges.