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15 December 2022<\/b><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
On behalf of the 193 Member States of the United Nations, I would like to express gratitude to China for accompanying us, guiding us and leading us through this long journey of negotiations and preparations. As well as for Canada, for hosting us today.<\/p>\n
Mr. Minister, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/p>\n
This is not a gathering to save the Earth.<\/p>\n
We are here to save ourselves, our sons and daughters, and many generations to come.<\/p>\n
With lifeless oceans, rivers, empty mountains and deserts, the Earth will survive \u2013 but our civilization may not.<\/p>\n
The objective is simple and straight: we need net positive progress to save all life on Earth.<\/p>\n
The Global Biodiversity Framework must be implemented to deliver more nature at the end of this decade than at the start.<\/p>\n
I call on scientists, negotiators and decision-makers: maintain your ambition for harmony.<\/p>\n
Not harmony with nature. We are part of nature. It should be harmony in nature, to where we belong.<\/p>\n
I urge you to keep crisis management and transformation in mind.<\/p>\n
We must learn from our failure to reach the Aichi targets.<\/p>\n
GBF should yield quantum leaps in global biodiversity governance and cooperation.<\/p>\n
I call upon you to agree on a strong science-based follow-up mechanism at COP15.<\/p>\n
For moving forward, I suggest four directions:<\/p>\n
First, take a human rights-based approach to the issues of biodiversity loss.<\/p>\n
I summon governments, civil society, the private sector, the international finance institutions to embed human rights into their guidelines and operations.<\/p>\n
We all should respect, protect and fulfil these rights, including the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and especially the rights of those in vulnerable situations, indigenous peoples and local communities.<\/p>\n
Second, address the economic drivers behind so-called \u201cbiodiversity negative\u201d behaviours. Chief among them: our unsustainable habits.<\/p>\n
Our greed. Our selfishness. Our short-sightedness, the global myopia.<\/p>\n
I encourage you to tackle the root causes of biodiversity loss by transforming the ways we produce, consume, trade, transport.<\/p>\n
We also need radical changes to what we subsidize or and incentivize.<\/p>\n
I urge governments to end harmful subsidies\u00a0\u2013 especially for fossil fuels, non-sustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheries.<\/p>\n
Instead, governments should guide businesses to invest in transformation towards circular economy.<\/p>\n
I implore\u00a0global businesses to shoulder social responsibility by mainstreaming biodiversity into their strategies and value chains.<\/p>\n
Yes, starting from disclosing their dependency and impact on nature.<\/p>\n
Third, prioritize solidarity in financing and capacity building.<\/p>\n
The financial flows into nature-based solutions must be doubled every year by 2025 to deal with today\u2019s interlocking global crises.<\/p>\n
To succeed, GBF will need a comprehensive resource mobilization package that markedly increases biodiversity financing flow to low- and middle-income nations.<\/p>\n
I call on countries to provide new contributions on funding, capacity-building, and biodiversity-friendly technologies.<\/p>\n
Fourth, we need reliable new metrics and measurement tools for verification.<\/p>\n
How can we justify the full spectrum of our steps \u2013 or certify our progress \u2013 without a set of accurate metrics to measure the gains and losses of the natural world?<\/p>\n
We will have to transform national and global accounting systems, so they reflect the true cost of economic activities on natural capital.<\/p>\n
That would put an end to the \u201cgreenwashing\u201d.<\/p>\n
Excellencies,<\/p>\n
The discussions and outcome of COP15 will feed into various processes launching in the General Assembly.<\/p>\n
In New York, preparations are underway for the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Water Conference, a series of high-level meetings and dialogues, and, most importantly, the SDG Summit.<\/p>\n
I count on you to bring biodiversity \u2013 and GBF implementation! \u2013 to the General Assembly Hall, to our summit meetings.<\/p>\n
Dear Friends,<\/p>\n
It is high time we rose to the challenge of saving ourselves.<\/p>\n
We have a second bite at the apple. Let\u2019s not miss our chance to get this right.<\/p>\n
Thank you very much.<\/p>\n
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15 December 2022 \u00a0 On behalf of the 193 Member States of the United Nations, I would like to express gratitude to China for accompanying us, guiding us and leading […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"
10 November 2022<\/strong><\/b><\/p>\r\n Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/p>\r\n Afghanistan is in crisis. It is in many crises.<\/p>\r\n It has been 15 months since the Taliban consolidated control over the country.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Its economy is in ruins. The humanitarian situation is disastrous.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u00a0<\/span>Two-thirds of the population is hungry.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u00a0<\/span>Girls and women are banned from learning, having a job or getting proper medical care.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n The country is awash with heroin and opium.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Organized crime and terrorist organizations are thriving once again.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Afghanistan is facing complex and interlinked challenges that the Taliban have shown they cannot \u2013 or would not \u2013 solve.<\/u><\/span><\/p>\r\n It is time to support the Afghan people with concrete solutions that place their needs front and center.<\/p>\r\n It is true that some problems will require some time to resolve.<\/p>\r\n But there are actions the Assembly can take to change the paradigm now.<\/p>\r\n I would like you to consider one solution through solidarity.<\/p>\r\n The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan \u2013 which requires $4.4 billion US dollars \u2013 is only half funded.<\/p>\r\n With winter weather just weeks away, I encourage Member States to provide urgent support to help reduce the $2.3 billion dollar shortfall.<\/p>\r\n Let\u2019s remind ourselves of the old saying from Afghanistan: \u201cA real friend is one who takes the hand of his friend in times of distress and helplessness.\u201d<\/p>\r\n Excellencies,<\/p>\r\n Afghanistan has a rich history of scientific achievement.<\/p>\r\n I encourage the country\u2019s reengagement with the international science community.<\/p>\r\n And\u00a0to allow women who used to be respected members of the country\u2019s science community to resume their research and their studies.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u00a0<\/span>Afghanistan is now the only state in the world that would deny girls their full right to education.<\/p>\r\n The prospect of girls\u2019 education has been left to uncertainty amid seemingly random edicts from the Taliban.<\/p>\r\n This time last year, Fawzia Koofi, the first woman Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Parliament, recalled her dream of one day addressing the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ as the President of Afghanistan.<\/p>\r\n She said:\u00a0\u201cWith me, millions of girls and women in Afghanistan had this dream that now they think will never come true.\u201d<\/p>\r\n Dreams of becoming President have been replaced by the reality of child marriage. Arrests if women and girls leave their home without a male chaperone.<\/p>\r\n I reiterate my call for the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of all Afghans, especially women and girls.<\/p>\r\n Similarly, I urge the Taliban to ensure the safety of all Afghans, regardless of gender, ethnic background, religious belief or political affiliation.<\/p>\r\n To protect journalists and civil society members.<\/p>\r\n To allow unhindered humanitarian aid, and to cooperate with humanitarian workers.<\/p>\r\n We expect the Taliban to make good on the commitments they made to the international community.\u00a0To show honesty through\u00a0concrete action.<\/p>\r\n Excellencies,<\/p>\r\n The dramatic changes of 2021 have taken a massive toll on Afghanistan\u2019s economy and profoundly widened many security risks.<\/p>\r\n