The Isle of Man is a whole-nation UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, reflecting it is a special place for people and the rest of nature.

In our regular feature, authors from different walks of Manx life offer a personal perspective on #MyBiosphere. This month, Dominic Wall writes:

In 2019, I arrived on the Isle of Man to take up an opportunity in the investment management industry. At the time, I had no idea the island was the world’s first entire nation UNESCO Biosphere.

Up until this point, my brain was still a year off being fully developed. At the tender age of 24, I was admittedly unfocused; my main mission in life was making enough money to go out and ‘pop bottles’ with friends on the weekends.

I had yet to find deep meaning in the work I did. While not everyone needs their career to have a greater purpose, I realised that the average person spends roughly 35% of their waking hours at their place of employment.

For me, having a 'why' behind that massive portion of my life spent at my desk was vital. I was still searching.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I left the island (still unaware of its Biosphere status) and returned to my hometown of Plettenberg Bay, South Africa. During that global ‘slow down’, I began to understand what was truly important to me.

The only constant in my life was paddling the Keurbooms lagoon every day. I realised then that if there is anything meaningful to work for, it is protecting beautiful habitats like these.

I started thinking: how can I use my background in finance to help nature? I settled on pursuing a career in sustainable finance - essentially, the practice of channelling investment toward projects that are environmentally friendly and socially responsible - and sustainability reporting.

I decided to move back to the Isle of Man, partly because my girlfriend (now wife) lived here, but also because Europe is where sustainable finance is most developed.

It was only after settling back into island life that I finally discovered I was living in a Biosphere! Surrounded by green and blue everywhere you look, what better place to have the space to learn and grow?

It is a privilege to innovate in a ‘living laboratory’ alongside such a passionate sustainability community.

Much has been said about the potential of the Isle of Man’s unique UNESCO status. Now, as part of the UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man (UBIOM) Board and Finance Isle of Man’s Sustainable Finance Initiative, I am motivated by the fact that we have moved from ideation to implementation.

Our goal is to create a blueprint for what can be achieved in other Biospheres around the world at scale.

To me, 'My Biosphere' means community, collaboration, and conserving our connection to nature so we can continue to enjoy the activities we love - for me, that's cycling, hiking, and kayaking.

Dominic recently joined the IOM Financial Services Authority as Sustainable Finance and ESG Adviser. To find out more about UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man, or to apply to be a partner, visit www.biosphere.im or email [email protected].