Blog: Climate crisis and Covid crisis - symptoms of the same faults!

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28 September 2020

Global Leaders' Pledge for Nature (initially signed by 64 heads of state)

Today, in the context of the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity, a declaration has been released "to step up global ambition for biodiversity and to commit to matching our collective ambition for nature, climate and people with the scale of the crisis at hand".

The Declaration and the supporters are listed on https://www.LeadersPledgeForNature.org/. Here some quotes from the document:

• We are in a state of planetary emergency: the interdependent crises of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation and climate change - driven in large part by unsustainable production and consumption - require urgent and immediate global action.
• Biodiversity loss is both accelerated by climate change and at the same time exacerbates it, by debilitating nature’s ability to sequester or store carbon and to adapt to climate change impacts. Ecosystem degradation, human encroachment in ecosystems, loss of natural habitats and biodiversity and the illegal wildlife trade can also increase the risk of emergence and spread of infectious diseases.
• ... global trends continue rapidly in the wrong direction. A transformative change is needed: we cannot simply carry on as before.
• This Pledge is a recognition of this crisis and an expression of the need for a profound re-commitment from World leaders to take urgent action.
• We therefore commit to undertake the following urgent actions over the next ten years as part of the UN Decade of Action to achieve Sustainable Development:
  (here an abbreviated form of the list - full version see link above)
1. ... we commit to putting biodiversity, climate and the environment as a whole at the heart both of our COVID-19 recovery strategies and investments and of our pursuit of national and international development and cooperation.
2. We commit to the development and full implementation of an ambitious and transformational post-2020 global biodiversity framework for adoption at the 15th Conference of Parties of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD CoP 15)
3. ... address the interrelated and interdependent challenges of biodiversity loss, land, freshwater and ocean degradation, deforestation, desertification, pollution and climate change in an integrated and coherent way, ensuring accountability and robust and effective review mechanisms,
4. We commit to transition to sustainable patterns of production and consumption and sustainable food systems that meet people’s needs while remaining within planetary boundaries.
   Detailed points follow, including
   circular economy, nature-based solutions, sustainable supply chains, sustainable land and forest management, eliminating unsustainable uses of the ocean and its resources, efforts to reduce the negative impacts of invasive alien species, significantly reducing pollution in the air, on land, in soil, freshwater and the ocean.
5. 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
6. .. ending environmental crimes ... and engaging with local communities to ensure sustainable solutions for people, nature and the economy
7. ... mainstreaming biodiversity into relevant sectoral and cross-sectoral policies at all levels, ...
8. ... “One-Health” approach ... that addresses health and environmental sustainability in an integrated fashion.
9. ... strengthen all financial and non-financial means of implementation, to transform and reform our economic and financial sectors
   Detailed points follow, including
   Incentivizing the financial system, nationally and internationally, including banks, funds, corporations, investors and financial mechanisms, to align financial flows to environmental commitments and the Sustainable Development Goals; mobilization of resources from all sources, public and private; eliminating or repurposing subsidies and other incentives that are harmful to nature, biodiversity and climate while increasing significantly the incentives; improving the efficiency, transparency and accountability in the use of existing resources, including through co-benefits, finance tracking and reporting frameworks
10. ... policy will be science-based, will recognize the crucial role of traditional and indigenous knowledge as well as science and research in the fight against ecosystem degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change; and will engage the whole of society, including business and financial sectors, indigenous peoples and local communities, environmental human rights defenders, local governments and authorities, faith-based groups, women, youth, civil society groups, academia, and other stakeholders.
• We will join forces in the run up to the key international events and processes taking place throughout 2021, including the G7, the G20, the IUCN World Conservation Congress, the fifth UN Environment Assembly, UNFCCC COP26 and the UN Ocean Conference, aiming to achieve ambitious and realistic outcomes to pave the way for a strong Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and we urge all stakeholders to join us in making commitments to address the planetary emergency on the road to CBD CoP 15 and beyond.
  We commit to meeting again next year, and beyond, at such key international events, in particular at the next UN General Assembly

The pledge was developed in the context of the Club of Rome's Climate - Planetary Emergency activities. It's wording is really remarkable, and forms a base on which we should be able to push the endorsing countries. And here is the list of initial endorsing states - and non-endorsers (endorsers having aligned themselves later added in gray - list may change, apologies if not up-to-date):