Monday 28th September 2020
Political leaders participating in the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity in September 2020, representing more than 60 countries from all regions and the European Union, have committed to reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. By doing so, these leaders are sending a united signal to step up global ambition and encourage others to match their collective ambition for nature, climate and people with the scale of the crisis at hand.
The Leaders’ Pledge for Nature: United to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 for Sustainable Development sees leaders pledging to undertake urgent actions over the next ten years as part of the UN Decade of Action to achieve Sustainable Development. It comes days ahead of the UN Summit on Biodiversity, sending a strong, united signal that the world must step up ambition to halt and reverse nature loss for the benefit of people and nature and to help tackle climate change.
This is more than just a pledge. This is a recognition from Heads of State that we need to combine forces to tackle the triple crises for people, for nature, and the climate – a planetary emergency. Commitments to include these issues in COVID-19 recovery packages is an integral part of turning these pledges into reality and bringing about a step change that places nature at the heart of decision-making.
Lucy Almond, Director and Chair, Nature4Climate
The Pledge, which is officially launched at the Leaders Event for Nature and People, part of the Nature For Life Hub, is a direct response to our escalating Planetary Emergency, and the need for urgent and immediate global action to address it.
With specific reference to NCS, the pledge says – ‘We commit to raising ambition and aligning our domestic climate policies with the Paris Agreement, with enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions and long-term strategies consistent with the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement, and the objective of Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century, strengthening climate resilience in our economies and ecosystems and promoting convergence between climate and biodiversity finance.’
The Pledge highlights that the interdependent crises of biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation and climate change are causing irreversible harm to our life support systems, aggravating poverty and inequalities and increasing risk of future zoonotic pandemics. In agreeing it, Heads of State and Government send a strong signal to galvanize long-term global ambition and commitment to take transformative actions for nature, climate and people.
Endorsers of the pledge include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Fiji, Germany, Kenya, Seychelles, Mexico and the UK, amongst many others.