Nature

May 20, 2022
Researchers are increasingly concerned that the world is running two years behind schedule to finalize a new global framework on biodiversity conservation. They say the delay to the agreement, which aims to halt the alarming rate of species extinctions and protect vulnerable ecosystems, has consequences for countries’ abilities to meet ambitious targets to protect biodiversity over the next decade.

Representatives from almost 200 member states of the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) were set to meet in Kunming, China, in October 2020, to finalize a draft agreement. It includes 21 conservation targets, such as protecting 30% of the world’s land and seas. But the meeting, called the 15th Conference of the Parties, was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been postponed several times since.

The conference is tentatively rescheduled for late August or early September, but China — which as the conference president is also the host — hasn’t confirmed the date. And now the country’s strict COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai and rising cases of the virus in Beijing have put that meeting in doubt, too.

Researchers say the delay in finalizing the agreement is stalling conservation work, especially in countries that rely on funds committed by wealthier nations to achieve the targets. The almost two-year hold-up means that countries will have less time to meet the agreement’s 2030 deadline. “We now have eight years to do more, whilst many countries are facing a recession and trying to prioritize economic recovery,” says Alice Hughes, a conservation biologist at the University of Hong Kong. “The longer we wait, the more diversity is lost.”

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The Statesman

May 18, 2022
While science shows that the crisis facing the natural world is accelerating, the UN process for addressing global biodiversity loss is at serious risk of further slowing down.

Initially scheduled for October 2020, the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has already been delayed four times because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With no official date announced for COP15, there is growing concern among scientists and other experts that countries are failing to address the biodiversity crisis with the required leadership and commitment.

Some 196 countries are working through the CBD to develop a global strategy to help stem the tide of catastrophic biodiversity loss, which threatens up to one million species with extinction within decades.

Countries have touted COP15 as an opportunity to deliver a deal for nature similar in ambition and significance to the Paris Climate Agreement, but repeated delays and a lack of urgency or high-level political attention could undermine that outcome if not addressed immediately.

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Reuters

May 17, 2022
We need tree-planting, we need renewables, and we need fossil-free fuels. But in our efforts to tackle the climate emergency, are we forgetting the soil beneath our feet?

Many organisations are warning that the overlapping crises of climate, biodiversity and land degradation must be tackled together – not sequentially – if planet Earth is to continue to support us.

The Global Land Outlook report published last month by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), describes land as the “operative link between biodiversity loss and climate change”.

Underlining that, parties to the Convention meeting in Cote d’Ivoire from May 9-20 for the first of the year’s three big UN summits, heard French President Emmanuel Macron in a video message call for all public policies to incorporate the three interlinked conventions on biodiversity, climate change, and desertification, that grew out of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

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Campaign for Nature

May 17, 2022
While science shows that the crisis facing the natural world is accelerating, the U.N. process for addressing global biodiversity loss is at serious risk of further slowing down. Initially scheduled for October 2020, the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has already been delayed four times because of the COVID pandemic. 

With no official date announced for COP15, there is growing concern among scientists and other experts that countries are failing to address the biodiversity crisis with the required leadership and commitment.

Some 196 countries are working through the CBD to develop a global strategy to help stem the tide of catastrophic biodiversity loss, which threatens up to one million species with extinction within decades. Countries have touted COP15 as an opportunity to deliver a deal for nature similar in ambition and significance to the Paris Climate Agreement, but repeated delays and a lack of urgency or high-level political attention could undermine that outcome if not addressed immediately.

The CBD COP Bureau is slated to meet on 19 May to discuss plans for COP15 and determine when the COP will take place. It is critical that the COP dates be firmly set and that the COP allows for equitable participation from all interested parties, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and civil society organizations.

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GOV.UK

May 14, 2022
We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, who are united in our resolve to keep the goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C in reach, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and to reach net zero emissions globally by mid-century:

• recognize that the impacts of the climate and biodiversity crises pose a threat to international peace and stability where people and ecosystems face existential perils, with disproportionate impacts on individuals in developing, lower-income, fragile and conflict affected states, and where the international order as we know it will be increasingly put to the test

• understand that because we share the climate and ecosystems, each nation’s security is indelibly tied to that of others – the consequences of climate change and environmental degradation (both terrestrial and marine) know no borders

• underscore that these challenges offer an opportunity for collective action (across different sectoral mandates) and multilateral cooperation to understand and address the peace and security implications of climate change and environmental degradation

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World Economic Forum

May 5, 2022
The ocean is a vital life support system for the planet, and we are running out of time to preserve the marine biodiversity that it is home to and upon which we all depend.

Having played a key role thus far in the mitigation of climate change, our blue ally is quickly running out of steam. With water temperature and sea levels rising, acidification, pollution, unsustainable exploitation of marine resources, depletion of fish stocks, the near disappearance of coral reefs, and the destruction of fragile ecosystems, the ocean is being disproportionately impacted by human activities.

Now, more than ever, we must consider the possible implications of its demise.

The ocean plays an indispensable role in providing and regulating resources that are vital to sustaining life on Earth — from rainwater to drinking water, and as a source of our food, weather, and the oxygen we breathe.

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World Economic Forum

May 4, 2022
It has been a tough start to 2022. The war in Ukraine has shaken global geopolitical order and brought immense grief while disrupting supply chains and global economic stability. At the same time, the IPCC has issued dire warnings outlining the devasting consequences of climate change - including on business - if we don’t take urgent action and that the window for action is fast closing.

As the world struggles with political upheaval, we must also hold the long-term view in mind: that peace, a stable climate, and healthy ecosystems are the foundations of thriving and resilient societies and economies. 

The Paris Agreement on climate change was a rallying point for businesses on global warming. Another United Nations initiative that could have the same impact on biodiversity recently concluded its latest round of talks in Geneva. Leading businesses such as Unilever, Citi, Natura &Co, H&M Group, Holcim, GSK, Walmart, IKEA, Nestlé and L’Occitane joined Business for Nature and its partners Capitals Coalition, WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development), CEBDS and the International Chamber of Commerce, on the ground - the first time so many progressive businesses have turned up at a nature negotiation pushing for greater ambition.

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Science Daily

April 26, 2022
Until now, measures to protect climate and biodiversity have often been developed in parallel. However, this is now considered outdated because many approaches can protect both climate and biodiversity. Scientists have now assessed the role of the potential future global biodiversity targets (Post-2020 Action Targets for 2030) for climate protection and found that about two thirds of these targets can also help to slow climate change.

When the global community is expected to meet for the second part of the UN Biodiversity Conference in Kunming, China, in autumn, it must also adopt the next generation of UN biodiversity targets. These will then replace the Aichi Targets that were aimed for until 2020 -- and have hardly been achieved. 21 "Post-2020 Action Targets for 2030" have already been pre-formulated. While they still have to be finally agreed, they aim to reduce potential threats to biodiversity, improve the well-being of humans, and implement tools and solutions for the conservation of biodiversity.

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Hospitality Net

April 20, 2022
For greater context, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was originally signed by 150 government leaders at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, committing a dedication to promoting sustainable development and recognizing humanity's reliance on biological diversity. The UN Biodiversity Conference serves to address the CBD and the main objective of the conference now is to adopt the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The first session of the 2020 UN Biodiversity Conference took place in October 2021 and the second session will resume at the end of this month (April 2022). There is increasing global momentum organizing around a rallying cry to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030, a rapidly approaching deadline.

Many intergovernmental coalitions have aligned in support of the 30x30 mission. Campaign for Naturetracks the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, the Global Ocean Alliance, Leaders Pledge for Nature, and the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York witnessed public support from over 100 countries. Civil society, nonprofits, scientists, athletes have also come together to raise their voices for our shared blue planet, WSL's We Are One Ocean is one example of a nongovernmental coalition voicing support for 30x30. Countries have individually begun to implement 30x30 through legislation at the national and local level. In the U.S., Biden began his presidency with an Executive Order to protect at least 30% of land and 30% of ocean areas by 2030, and state and local actionin the U.S. has also been underway.

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Modern Diplomacy

April 20, 2022
Big uncertainties hung over when the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity would be held. It had been rescheduled several times because of the pandemic. Now, it is expected to be held in August this year in the Chinese city of Kunming. The goal of COP15 is to create a Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which would outline a roadmap for global action to maintain and protect biodiversity. After the round of preparatory talks in Geneva in April, parties decided to hold the next round of negotiations in Nairobi, from June 21 to 29, 2022, prior to the UN Convention. The meeting in Geneva resulted in the first agreed draft document for a post-2020 framework for nature, including goals, targets, and enabling mechanisms.

But there is still a long and stony road ahead. Despite the consensus on the main goals of the framework, disagreements are mainly regarding how to monitor the progress, finance for developing countries and divergence concerning specifics such as the reduction of nitrogen waste by 2030, among others. Leading policy makers have voiced concerns about the ambition of the GBF. As the EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius said: “At COP15, the international community will seek to agree on an ambitious global biodiversity framework with strong monitoring to measure progress on the ground in reversing nature loss. But we are not there yet, and we need to significantly narrow the gaps between Parties’ positions.”

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Yale Environment 360

April 18, 2022
On the low-lying northern shore of the Indonesian island of Java, the sea has invaded a kilometer inland in places in recent years, engulfing whole communities and vast expanses of rice paddy. But villagers are fighting back against further advances by erecting brushwood barriers in the mud to help the natural regeneration of mangroves. 

This innovative nature-based response to rising sea levels and worsening storms, sponsored by the Indonesian government and the Dutch-based environmental group Wetlands International, could be scaled up across Asia. Within a decade it could be helping at least 10 million people in similar situations to protect and restore their denuded coastlines — all at a fraction of the cost of sea walls, says Jane Madgwick, CEO of Wetlands International. 

But it can do that only if local projects are developed and the financing secured. And so far, she says, progress has been slow. Lives, livelihoods, and coastlines are being lost as a result.

And so it goes.

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Business Standard

April 15, 2022
At the Our Ocean Conference in Palau, the US officially announced to join the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People, a group of more than 90 countries, encouraging the adoption of the global goal to protect and conserve at least 30 per cent of the planet -- land and sea -- by 2030, commonly referred to as "30x30."

Scientists have issued repeated warnings that nature is in a state of crisis, threatened by habitat loss, pollution, overexploitation, invasive species, and climate change.

The ongoing and rapid loss of natural areas across the world poses a grave threat to the health and security of all living things. However, overwhelming scientific evidence shows that conserving at least 30 per cent of the global land and ocean can not only help curb biodiversity loss and prevent extinctions but also store carbon, help prevent future pandemics, and bolster economic growth.

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UN Environment Programme

April 14, 2022
Healthy, biodiverse ecosystems sustain life on Earth by providing air, water and other essential elements. From forests to farmlands to oceans, the planet’s ecosystems are the basis of resources, services and industries.

Despite the value nature provides, it is being degraded at catastrophic rates. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), 75 percent of the Earth’s land and 66 percent of its oceans have been altered by human activity and many essential ecosystem services are eroding. The rate of global change in nature over the past 50 years is unprecedented in human history.

Nature loss has far-reaching consequences. Damaged ecosystems exacerbate climate change by releasing carbon instead of storing it. Rampant development is putting animals and humans in closer contact increasing the risk of diseases like COVID-19 to spread. A recent United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report found that about 60 percent of human infections are estimated to have an animal origin.

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Campaign For Nature

April 14, 2022
At the Our Ocean Conference in Palau today, the US announced it officially joined the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People, a group of more than 90 countries encouraging the adoption of the global goal to protect and conserve at least 30% of the planet— land and sea — by 2030, commonly referred to as “30x30.” 

Scientists have issued repeated warnings that nature is in a state of crisis, threatened by habitat loss, pollution, overexploitation, invasive species, and climate change. The ongoing and rapid loss of natural areas across the world poses a grave threat to the health and security of all living things. However, overwhelming scientific evidence shows that conserving at least 30% of our global land and ocean can not only curb biodiversity loss and prevent extinctions but also store carbon, help prevent future pandemics, and bolster economic growth.

The Biden administration has already pledged to conserve 30% of the United States’ land and sea; it is now pushing for the goal to be adopted at the global scale. The announcement follows the Biden administration’s launch yesterday of a $1 billion program—called the America the Beautiful Challenge—to advance its national 30x30 goal. 

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Yale Environment 360

April 12, 2022
The Biden administration has launched a $1 billion program to advance its goal of conserving 30 percent of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030.

The program, called the America the Beautiful Challenge, will serve as a “one-stop shop” for states, tribes, territories, non-governmental organizations, and others to apply for numerous grants for conservation and restoration projects, the administration said. It is backed by an initial $440 million in federal funds over five years — the bulk of which comes from the bipartisan infrastructure law that Congress passed last year — and aims to draw private and philanthropic contributions to reach the $1 billion mark.

Early in his tenure, President Joe Biden set a national goal of protecting 30% of America’s lands and waters by 2030 in order to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. And last May, the administration published a report outlining its vision for a 10-year “locally led” effort to conserve and restore lands and waters, slash planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions and address inequalities in who has access to nature and the outdoors.

The new program “will help mobilize new investments in locally led, voluntary conservation and restoration projects across the country, while making it easier for communities to access these resources,” Brenda Mallory, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said in a statement.

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