Richard had a profound understanding of the interconnectedness of sustainable development, and the need for collaboration to make it a reality. His philosophical side knew that this ‘project’ would take decades not days; the activist in him knew that delay would make it more difficult.Death would not be the end of his efforts: with his eyes twinkling, he charged his colleagues to carry on, and not to forget to help the next generation of campaigners to see the world as he did. As he said, ‘There is only so much energy in one lifetime; you have to use it to best effect.’