Leaders’ Pledge for Nature

https://www.leaderspledgefornature.org/

Full: https://www.leaderspledgefornature.org/Leaders_Pledge_for_Nature_27.09.2...

To see endorsers: https://www.leaderspledgefornature.org/#endorsers

We, political leaders participating in the United Nations

Summit on Biodiversity, representing 64*countries from all

 regions and the European Union,

have come together today,on 28 September 2020,

ahead of the Summit to send a united signal 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.

We reaffirm our commitment to international cooperation

and multilateralism, based on unity,

solidarity and trust among countries, peoples and

generations, as the only way for the world to effectively respond to current

and future global environmental crises.

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.

Science clearly shows that biodiversity loss, land and

ocean degradation, pollution, resource depletion and

 climate change are accelerating at an unprecedented rate.

This acceleration is causing irreversible harm to our

 life support systems and aggravating poverty and

 inequalities as well as hunger and malnutrition.

Unless halted and reversed with immediate effect, it will cause

significant damage to global economic, social and political

resilience and stability and will render

achieving the Sustainable Development Goals impossible.

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.

COVID-19 shows that these diseases havedramatic

 impacts not only on loss of life and

health but across all spheres of society.

Naturefundamentally underpins human health,

wellbeing and prosperity.

We need to appropriately value nature and the

services it provides as we make decisions and

recognize that the business case for biodiversity is compelling

. The benefits of restoring natural resources

 outweigh the costs ten-fold, andthe cost of

inaction is even higher.

Despite ambitious global agreements and

 targets for the protection, sustainable use and

 restoration of biodiversity, and

notwithstanding many local success stories,the globaltrends continue rapidly

in the wrong direction.

 A transformative change is needed:

we cannot simply carry on as before.

This Pledge is a recognitionof this crisis and an expression of the need

for a profound re-commitment from

World leaders to take urgent action.

Against the backdrop of COVID19, which has crippled the world’s economies

and pressuredgovernments everywhere

 to begin the process of rebuilding and renewing,

decisions made now will

have ramifications for all of us and for generations to come.

We are committed to taking the necessary actions to achievethe vision of

Living in Harmony with Natureby 2050.

Toput the world on the right track towards this

 long-term goalwill require strongpolitical will combined with real accountability

and the appropriate legal

, economic and financial tools and incentives.

Everyone, governments, business and individuals, has a role to play.We must broaden and

strengthen the movement for change. **As of 26/9/2020 –The latest information on the

number of endorsements can be found at https://www.leaderspledgefornature.org/