Media Statement

 
 

Nature Features Prominently at COP26

 

(17 November, 2021--Glasgow)--The prominence of nature and biodiversity in the Glasgow Climate Pact and throughout the climate talks marks the first time nature was meaningfully incorporated into global climate negotiations. 

The final Glasgow climate agreement notes the importance of: “ensuring the integrity of all ecosystems, including in forests, the ocean and the cryosphere, and the protection of biodiversity, recognized by some cultures as Mother Earth.” 

It goes on to emphasize: “the importance of protecting, conserving and restoring nature and ecosystems, including forests and other terrestrial and marine ecosystems, to achieve the Paris Agreement temperature goal by acting as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases and protecting biodiversity, while ensuring social and environmental safeguards.” 

Indigenous Peoples were recognized as important partners in designing and implementing climate solutions during negotiations.  And, according to the document, countries should respect, promote and consider their rights when climate action is taken. However, sufficient safeguards for Indigenous rights and recognition of Indigenous leadership  in “Nature-based solutions” were inadequate according to many Indigenous leaders who attended the COP.

This unprecedented recognition of the role of nature in addressing climate change marks an important turning point in ongoing global efforts to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises, which Boris Johnson called “two sides of the same coin” at the launch of COP26. 

In early January, many of the same countries who gathered for COP26 will meet again in Geneva Switzerland to negotiate the details of a major biodiversity treaty expected to be signed in April 2022. The post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework is considered to be as important to the fate of the planet as the Paris Agreement under discussion in Glasgow.

The following announcements and events at COP26 linked to the Campaign for Nature demonstrated how climate change and nature protection can be jointly addressed.  

  • Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault announced Canada will allocate at least 20% of its $5.3 billion climate finance commitment—about a total of $1 billion—to nature-based climate solutions with biodiversity co-benefits in developing countries over the next five years.

  • Madagascar, Nepal, and Mauritania announced membership of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, bringing the number of countries pushing to protect 30% of the planet by 2030 up to 77.

  • The leaders of Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama launched a new marine protected area in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.The decision by these four countries to establish this marine protected area demonstrates the strong and growing political will to protect at least 30% of the planet by 2030. Right now, only 7% of the ocean is protected. Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister said: “This bold and ambitious new initiative is crucial for conservation efforts in this beautiful region, and, as long-standing advocates for ocean protection, the UK stands ready to support these countries in this hugely important endeavour. Together, we must do more to protect our world’s most precious resource and today’s announcement marks a significant milestone.”

  • The presidents of Costa Rica, Colombia and Chile spoke out about the dramatic gains nature protection can provide in solving the climate change crisis. They, along with ministers from the UK, Japan and United Arab Emirates also reaffirmed their commitments to protect 30% of the planet by 2030 and called on other countries to step up to protect nature in the leadup to a major biodiversity summit next year--considered to be as important to the fate of the planet as the Paris Agreement under discussion in Glasgow.

  • Donors, including the Wyss Foundation committed $1.7B to help Indigenous peoples protect forests and other important ecosystems.

Brian O’Donnell, Director of the Campaign for Nature, said:

Nature received major attention at the climate talks for the first time. It was clear that at top-level events and in countless discussions in Glasgow, the urgent need to safeguard biodiversity at the same time we keep global temperatures below 1.5 was top-of-mind for many COP26 participants. 

With 77 countries showing their support for 30x30, we have political momentum for a UN biodiversity treaty signed next year that includes the bold targets. Now is the time for more financial commitments, essential to ensuring the targets are met.

Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities are beginning to receive recognition from the highest levels that they are essential leaders in tackling climate change and nature loss. The next step is ensuring that Indigenous peoples and local communities their land rights secured.

Enric Sala, Explorer in Residence at National Geographic said:

World leaders have finally understood that nature is half of the solution to the climate crisis. But protecting nature does even more -- it also boosts food security and local and national economies, and it protects us from the impacts of climate change already bearing down. Without more intact nature it will be impossible to remain below 1.5 degrees.


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Contact

Kirsten Weymouth
+1 703.928.4995
kweymouth@ngs.org

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