Antonio Guterres demands an end to the destruction of nature, as Canada pushes for a proposal to protect 30%
At the beginning of the biodiversity cop15, Antonio Guterres, UN secretary general, stated that humanity has become a weapon against mass extinction.
We are not in harmony with the natural world. We are actually singing a completely different tune. Over the past hundreds of years, there has been a cacophony and chaos all over the globe, using instruments of destruction. He said that desertification and deforestation are creating wastelands in once-thriving ecosystems.”
“Our land, water, and air are poisoned with chemicals and pesticides and choked by plastics…. The most important lesson that we can teach our children is to accept responsibility for their actions. How can we set an example when we fail this fundamental test?
Guterres stated that “the deluded dreams and billionaires aside, it is not Planet B.” He spoke at the opening ceremony in Montreal, Canada where governments will start formal negotiations for the UN biodiversity targets for the next decade.
Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, called on countries to agree to a goal of conserving 30% of Earth for Nature in the final agreement.
“We did not choose the 30% number randomly. According to scientists, it is the threshold that must be met to prevent the risk of extinction as well as to protect our food and economic security. He said that thirty percent is possible.” His speech was interrupted by protesters who held up a sign referring to the killing of Indigenous peoples.
Trudeau’s speech was a reiteration of comments made by Steven Guilbeault (Canada’s environment minister), an ex-environmental activist who stated that the 30% target would be equivalent to 1.5C’s climate goal, though this is strongly disputed and contested by scientists and activists.
The ” 30×30″ target is the most prominent proposal being considered by governments in this decade’s agreement on biodiversity protection. It is led by France, Costa Rica, and the UK. However, there are significant concerns from Indigenous peoples as well as human rights campaigners who fear it could legitimize further land grabs and violence against communities that best protect nature.
Guilbeault stated, “We are a large country with big ambitions.” “We have committed as a nation to protecting 30% of the land and water by 2030. We are working in partnership with Indigenous peoples as well as the provinces and territories.
One might argue (and I think I do), that our 1.5 degree is protecting 30% of the lands and oceans by 2030. It’s the biodiversity equivalent to the 1.5 degrees on climate changes. That’s what I believe is one of the goals for this summit.
Guilbeault spoke at today’s opening press conference for the biodiversity summit, in which he was present alongside Huang Runqiu, Cop15 president, and China’s environment secretary. He was also joined by Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, UN biodiversity head, and Inger Andersen (executive director of UN Environment Programme).
Andersen and Mrema said that the summit could have huge consequences for tackling land-based greenhouse gas emissions, which are the second-largest source after fossil fuels.
Mrema stated that climate change is the cause of recent disasters such as floods, droughts, heatwaves and wildfires. But where do these disasters occur? All of them happen in ecosystems. Climate warming will only continue to increase unless biodiversity is protected and restored. We may not reach the 1.5 degree mark.
The EU gave Cop15 talks a boost by agreeing that the bloc would ban all products considered to have contributed to the deforestation. The rules will impact the trade in cattle and coffee as well as palm oil, palm oil, soya, soya, and other agricultural products. They are all related to the loss of tropical forest.
Glenn Hurowitz, CEO of Mighty Earth said that this legislation will make a significant impact on the world’s forests. “For the first-ever time, European governments have told companies that sell agricultural products, ‘If your suppliers destroy forests, your products can’t be sold here.’
Hurowitz warned that the legislation was not perfect and failed to protect Indigenous rights as well as other important ecosystems, such peatlands, which are non-forest.
Canada talks are expected to end on 19 December, but they are likely to be extended. There are significant divisions among governments at pre-Cop negotiations which took place this weekend.
Huang stated that China takes its role in helping countries reach a final agreement very seriously at Tuesday’s opening press conference. He also noted that it was difficult to transfer the talks from Kunming (China) because of the pandemic.
