By Doug Nadler
Local Journalism Initiative
“Nature is our ship. We must ensure it stays afloat” – Virginijus Sinkevičius, EU Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries
“Forget the dreams of some billionaires. There is no planet B.” – António Guterres
“This global agreement is a win for people and the planet. We are pleased that it recognizes the need to protect much more land and ocean, and equally that Indigenous leadership and quality of protection is key to success.” – Sandra Schwartz, National Executive Director, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
The UN biodiversity summit in Montreal (COP15) has now come to a close. Governments, corporations and individuals must see the resulting Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) for 2030 as a floor and not a ceiling for humanity’s resolve to stop biodiversity loss and then accelerate immediately the commitments to include strong levels of implementation. So, for example, Target 3 of the GBF requires that 30% of both land and oceans be protected by 2030, but as the great biologist E.O. Wilson pointed out, the planet can only truly rebound and be a safe haven for Nature if we vigorously protect 50% of Earth, while emphasizing that Indigenous knowledge and inclusion in biodiversity agreements be sacrosanct.