High-level event
Nature & People: From Ambition to Action
Presented by:
Background
The world is faced with a planetary emergency caused by interdependent crises including biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, increasing emergence and threats presented by pandemics of zoonotic origin, food insecurity and debt crises. The stakes could not be higher to secure continuity of all life on earth, and the current decade is decisive. In view of this urgency, a commitment to continued ambition and accelerated action at the highest level will be key to our success in reversing biodiversity loss and achieving a nature-positive world by 2030. Without this, it will be impossible to achieve the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Over the past five years, leaders have recognized how fundamental nature is to livelihoods, the economy, and tackling other environmental crises, and have accordingly prioritized nature at the highest level. This has resulted in a number of recent crucial environmental decisions including the historic Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and an international legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), both of which recognize the rights and crucial role of Indigenous Peoples in successful and sustainable implementation efforts. These decisions mark a crucial need to shift our global focus from raising ambition on tackling biodiversity loss, to actually delivering on our ambition; doing so will mean accelerating both financing and implementation on the ground.
This year, in the side-lines of the high level week of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC N&P), the Global Ocean Alliance (GOA), and the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature (LPN) are uniting once more to convene a high level event to demonstrate transformational actions to tackle biodiversity loss.
Relevant Resources
The event
Date: 19 September 2023
Time: 19:00 – 21:00 ET
Location: New York (in-person by invitation only) & livestreamed
The event will place in person in New York for invited guests, with a webcast option for virtual viewing. Details about virtual attendance and the livestream to be updated on this page.
Event goal
Demonstrate momentum at the highest level in rapidly translating ambition to halt and reverse biodiversity loss into tangible and impactful actions. The event will present an opportunity for a number of ambitious countries and non-state actors to showcase domestic and international actions, both on land and in the ocean, to ensure successful implementation of biodiversity agreements, including the GBF and BBNJ.
The event will focus on actions to implement the objectives of the LPN, HAC for N&P and GOA, in particular around increasing resource mobilization from all sources and repurposing current harmful incentives (including subsidies), and conserving and protecting at least 30% of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030.
Featured speakers
- Wanjira Mathai, Managing Director, Africa & Global Partnerships, World Resources Institute
- His Excellency Juan Antonio Briceño, Prime Mister of Belize
- Wanjira Mathai, Managing Director, Africa & Global Partnerships, World Resources Institute
- H.E. Juan Antonio Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize
- The Honourable Premier Dalton Tagelagi, Premier of Nuie
- H.E. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
- Jane Fonda, Actor and Activist
- Rukka Sombolinggi, Secretary General to the Indigenous Peoples' Alliance of the Archipelago and Co-Chair of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities
- H.E. Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for the Environment
- H.E. Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako, Minister of State for Environment, Nigeria
- H.E. Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Canada
- H.E. Dr. Lotay Tshering, MBBS, MD, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan (Video address)
- H.E. Silveria Jacobs, Prime Minister of Sint Maarten
- H.E. Gustavo Manrique, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador
- H.E. SteffiLemke, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection of Germany
- H.E. Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines
- H.E. Jennifer “J.R.” Littlejohn, Assistant Secretary at the US Bureau of oceans and international environmental and scientific affairs, USA
- Deborah Sanchez, Director, The Community Land Rights and Conservation Finance Initiative (CLARIFI)
- Jason Momoa, UNEP Advocate for Life Below Water (inspiring video)
- Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environmental Facility (GEF)
- The Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- H.E. Susana Muhamad, Minister of Environment of Colombia
- H.E. Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Climate and the Environment of Norway
- Dr. Cristián Samper, Managing Director and Lead, Nature, Bezos Earth Fund, on behalf of Protecting Our Planet Challenge
- Zdenka Piskulich, Managing Director, Enduring Earth
- Lela DeVine, Member, Youth Leadership Council and Board of Director, Earth Echo International
- Bodhi Patil, Founder and CEO, Inner Light and Co creator, Ocean Uprise
- Ms. Monica Medina, President and CEO, Wildlife Conservation Society
- H.E. Sarah El Haïry, Secretary of State for Biodiversity, France
- Hon Minister Jeremie Katidjo Monnier, Minister of Environment, New Caledonia
- Kirsten Schuijt, Director General, World Wide Fund for Nature
- Ambroise Fayolle, Vice President, European Investment Bank
- Dr. Richard Jeo, Chief Field Officer, Asia-Pacific, Conservation International
- Ellie Goulding, Musician, WWF Ambassador, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador (video address)
- H.E Franz Tattenbach Capra, Minister of Environment, Costa Rica
- H.E Mariam Almheiri, Minister of State for Food and Water Security, United Arab Emirates
- Inger Andersen, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme
The Nature for Life Hub 2023
Featuring nature champions, mobilizers, leaders, dreamers, and doers, the Nature for Life Hub 2023 will ignite global action for safeguarding nature and realizing the ambitious goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Stay tuned for the 3-day event, happening this November 7th, 8th, and 9th.
