August 30th, 2021 As the negotiations for a Global Biodiversity Framework are moving forward ahead of the crucial COP15 meeting of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the representatives of three political coalitions endorsed by 116 countries – the “Leaders Pledge for Nature”, the “High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People” and the “Global Ocean Alliance” – have joined forces today at the high-level PreCOP event hosted by the Government of Colombia. Together they reaffirm the urgency of reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 to address the interdependent crises of biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and climate change and achieve sustainable development.
The science is clear: one million species are at risk of extinction and irreversible cascading tipping points in the Earth system might be passed within decades. The “Leaders Pledge for Nature”, the “High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People” and the “Global Ocean Alliance” have emerged to mobilize action and support for the protection and restoration of nature as a crucial contribution to address the planetary emergency. Since 2019, these three political coalitions, comprised and supported by hundreds of participants from governments and non-state actors, have been critical to building the momentum needed for the adoption of an ambitious, effective, and transformational post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework at the COP15, to be hosted by China from 11 to 15 October 2021 and 25 April to 8 May 2022.
The three political Coalitions are promoting specific and complementary objectives to protect, conserve, restore, and sustainably use biodiversity, based on robust scientific evidence and traditional knowledge, including the scaling-up of nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches, and circular economy to accelerate the transition to sustainable growth; a green recovery to the Covid-19 pandemic; the deployment of financial and non-financial means of implementation from all sources; the integration of a “one health” approach into relevant decision-making processes; strengthening synergies with other conventions and sectors; and ending illicit threats to nature and crimes that affect the environment.
In particular, the coalitions have also committed to significantly increase the protection of the planet’s land and ocean, with the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People and the Global Ocean Alliance having a special focus on the aim to protect and conserve at least 30% of the global land and at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030.
Statement:
We, representatives of at least one of the three coalitions – the “Leaders Pledge for Nature”, the “High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People” and/or the “Global Ocean Alliance”, endorsed by 116 world leaders and governments,
State our determination to work together towards COP15 to translate our joint commitments into concrete agreements in the Global Biodiversity Framework in order to ensure transformative action on the ground and to find constructive solutions to overcome divergences in the negotiation process;
Recognize the importance of the full and comprehensive implementation of all our commitments and the urgent need to overcome silo thinking.
We will continue to do this by taking an integrated and holistic approach to address the direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, which implies, among others, acting in an articulated manner across all sectors and taking action on interdependent crises, such as climate change;
Note with concern that, despite significant progress in the First Draft of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, additional efforts are urgently needed from all Parties to ensure that the goals, targets and means of implementation of the Framework reach the necessary ambition to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030;
Encourage all 196 Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity, observers and all relevant stakeholders to step up implementation and to work together to ensure that the framework to be agreed contains commitments to:
- Achieve ambitious targets on ecosystems and species conservation and restoration, including to bend the curve of biodiversity loss by 2030;
- Transform the current unsustainable patterns of consumption and production into sustainable ones to meet people’s need while remaining well within the limits of planetary boundaries;
- Scale-up investment in the protection of nature;
- Mainstream biodiversity conservation and sustainable use into decision-making processes and instruments at all levels of government and society, including key sectors such as food production, agriculture, fisheries and forestry, aquaculture, energy, tourism, transport, infrastructure and extractive industries, trade and supply chains, and health;
- Ensure effective and adequate means of implementation, including by:
- Significantly scaling and enhancing resource mobilization from all sources, including through the promotion of innovative mechanisms;
- Eliminating harmful incentives while creating positive ones; and
- Aligning financial flows to a nature positive economy, bringing business and the private sector, including the financial sector, on board.
- Develop a strong monitoring and review mechanism to back up commitments;
- Foster sustainable partnerships to ensure a whole-of-society approach with the inclusion of indigenous peoples and local communities, women and girls, youth and marginalized communities.
Urge all governments to join our Coalitions to ensure the highest ambition in the upcoming negotiations and implement the commitments included in the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature.
There is no time to lose: we need fast and deep transformative change of a type never before attempted. Falling short on our endeavor is not an option. For more information of the work of the Coalitions, including on action on the ground and our joint collaboration towards COP15, please visit:
Global Ocean Alliance: 30by30 Initiative
Endorsed by:
Leaders Pledge for Nature
Global Oceans Alliance
HAC for Nature and People
Albanie
Andorre
Angola
Antigua & Barbuda
Arménie
Autriche
Bangladesh
Barbade
Belgique
Belize
Bhoutan
Bolivie
Bosnie et Herzégovine
Botswana
Bulgarie
Cabo Verde
Cambodge
Tchad
Chili
Colombie
Comores
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatie
Chypre
République tchèque
Democratic Republic of Congo
Danemark
Djibouti
Dominique
République dominicaine
Équateur
Estonie
Éthiopie
Commission européenne
European Union
Fidji
Finlande
France
Gabon
Gambie
Géorgie
Allemagne
Grèce
Grenade
Guatemala
Guinée
Guinée Bissau
Guyane
Honduras
Hongrie
Islande
Irlande
Israël
Italie
Japon
Jordanie
Kenya
Lettonie
Liban
Lesotho
Lituanie
Luxembourg
Maldives
Malte
Îles Marshall
Mauritanie
Mexique
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolie
Monténégro
Maroc
Mozambique
Népal
Pays-Bas
Nouvelle-Zélande
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigéria
Macédoine du Nord
Norvège
Pakistan
Palau
Panama
Paraguay
Pérou
Portugal
Republic of Congo
Republic of Kiribati
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Roumanie
Rwanda
Saint-Marin
São Tomé and Príncipe
Sénégal
Seychelles
Slovaquie
Slovénie
Corée du Sud
Espagne
Sri Lanka
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent and Grenadines
Suriname
Suède
Suisse
Timor Leste
Togo
Ouganda
Ouganda
Émirats arabes unis
Royaume-Uni
Vanuatu
Vietnam