Good news for nature as leaders gather in London to discuss COP15

The UK Government is today hosting a meeting of leaders including the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak King Charles III and a US special envoy to discuss maintaining momentum behind the agreement secured for nature at the Convention on Biological Diversity’s COP15.

The government said it hoped that the event will support implementation of the agreement between 200 countries in Montreal last year. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework requires countries to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and to protect 30 per cent of the world’s land and ocean by 2030.

Sarah Mukherjee MBE CEO at IEMA said:

“The Kunming-Montreal agreement on biodiversity at COP15 in December was a massive moment for nature. It highlighted the need to put biodiversity restoration on a par with climate action.

“Finance to support the 30/30 goals – the aim to protect 30 per cent of the world’s land and ocean by 2030 – set out in the agreement is hugely important. We are delighted that the UK government are enabling the continuation of the COP15 conversation.

“This meeting is an opportunity for countries to support each other in enabling finance to play its part in nature restoration.”

The framework requires a major push to increase the amount of money invested in tackling nature loss and restoring threatened habitats such as mangroves rainforests and grasslands. The agreement set out a target to mobilise $200 billion per year globally by 2030 including $20 billion in flows to developing countries by 2025 rising to $30 billion by 2030. 

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

“Protecting our planet’s precious habitats is a global endeavour and I’m proud that the UK is leading the way in driving action to halt and reverse the decline of nature around the world.

“We must keep up the momentum on the progress made so far and it is by working together across the international community that we will identify and deliver the solutions needed to safeguard our environment for our children grandchildren and generations beyond.”

Dr Thérèse Coffey MP environment secretary said: 

“We are proud to have been part of the successful efforts to adopt an ambitious global biodiversity framework in Montreal last year and its effective implementation will be crucial for the future of our planet and for every generation to come. 

“I’m pleased to be bringing together ministers from around the world business leaders financiers and indigenous leaders to identify the solutions – both financial and structural – that will enable global action to protect nature and reverse biodiversity loss.” 

The government said its Environmental Improvement Plan which it launched last month will enable the UK to do its part domestically to protect 30 per cent of the world’s land and ocean by 2030 and halt and then reverse the decline in nature.