64 global leaders including Sheikh Hasina initiate ‘Pledge for Nature’

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DHAKA, Sept 28, 2020 (BSS) – Sixty-four global leaders including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today jointly launched “Leaders’ Pledge for Nature: United to Reverse Biodiversity Loss by 2030 for Sustainable Development” demonstrating commitment to protect nature, climate and people.

The move showed that the 64 global leaders are sending a united signal to step up global ambition and encourage others to match their collective ambition for nature, climate and people with the scale of the crisis at hand.

Bangladesh Premier became a signatory to the initiative with her other counterparts including Angela Merkel, Justin Trudeau and Boris Johnson before participating in the UN Summit on Biodiversity representing countries from all regions, committed to reversing biodiversity loss by 2030.

“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,” the leaders said in a joint statement.

The statement said despite ambitious global agreements and targets for the protection, sustainable use and restoration of biodiversity, and notwithstanding many local success stories, the global trends continue rapidly in the wrong direction.

“A transformative change is needed: we cannot simply carry on as before,” said the leaders in the statement.

They said this Pledge is a recognition of 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 they expressed their commitment to taking the necessary actions to achieve the vision of Living in Harmony with Nature by 2050.

They said strong political will combined with real accountability and the appropriate legal, economic and financial tools and incentives are required to put the world on the right track.

“We must broaden and strengthen the movement for change,” they emphasised.

The other countries that signed, so far, on this issue included Bhutan, Canada, United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

The signatories to the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature have committed to putting wildlife and the climate at the heart of post-pandemic economic recovery plans, promising to address the climate crisis, deforestation, ecosystem degradation and pollution.

In endorsing this Pledge for Nature, they committed themselves not simply to words, but to meaningful action and mutual accountability to address the planetary emergency.

“It marks a turning point, and comes with an explicit recognition that we will be judged now and by future generations on our willingness and ability to meet its aims,” they said.

With this Pledge, they also aim to support the United Nations system and its fundamental role in catalysing the global response to this crisis in the upcoming decisive months and years.

The global leaders will join forces in the run up to the key international events and processes taking place throughout 2021, including the G7, the G20, the IUCN World Conservation Congress, the fifth UN Environment Assembly, UNFCCC COP26 and the UN Ocean Conference, aiming to achieve ambitious and realistic outcomes to pave the way for a strong Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

“We urge all stakeholders to join us in making commitments to address the planetary emergency on the road to CBD CoP 15 and beyond,” they said in the statement.

They also stated their commitment to meeting again next year and beyond in particular at the next UN General Assembly.