Huang Runqiu, Chinese Executive Vice Chairperson of CCICED, Minister of Ecology and Environment of China,
Steven Guilbeault, International Executive Vice Chairperson of CCICED, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Kristin Halvorsen, CCICED Vice Chairperson; Director, CICERO Center for International Climate Research,
Colleagues and friends.
Eight months ago, China landed the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), with the strong support of the host Canada. In delivering the GBF, the world delivered a blueprint to protect, conserve and restore nature for the good of all humanity.
In the GBF, the world made a number of significant commitments to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. Yes, protect 30 per cent of the terrestrial and marine environment. Yes, put 30 percent of land and marine area under active restoration by 2030. And yes, mobilize US$ 30 billion by 2030. But so much more.
We agreed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. This is massive. And that, therefore, means that we agreed to reduce – at least by half – nutrients introduced into the environment. We agreed to reduce the risk from pesticides and hazardous chemicals by at least half. We agreed to reduce the rate of introduced invasive species by 50 per cent by 2030 and to eradicate and control those already introduced. And we agreed to eliminate, phase out or reform harmful subsidies, reducing them by US$ 500 billion per year by 2030 – starting with the most harmful.
So, these targets are ambitious. They are measurable. They are time critical. We have seven years to get the job done, which means early implementation is critical. That makes financing and means of implementation critical too.
This AGM’s policy recommendations to the Chinese government back the urgent implementation that biodiversity is crying out for. The recommendations call for an update to China’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. For private sector enterprises to integrate biodiversity conservation in their models. And for early action to achieve the 30x30 target. This last recommendation will be backed by a Special Policy Study on how China can achieve the 30x30 target domestically and support other nations to do the same. My thanks to the CCICED for taking such a focused approach.
Before we begin the sessions, please let me touch on three areas that are relevant to both the GBF and the CCICED’s workstream for the coming year.
One, financing the GBF.
Delivering finance, particularly to developing economies, is an enabler. This financing must pour into many areas to meet the targets, so that governments can be supported and have the means of implementation which the GBF calls for.
The good news is that the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund was launched at the GEF Assembly in Vancouver last week, with initial contributions from Canada and the UK. I encourage all potential donors to make their multilateral biodiversity contributions to this fund. Because now it is time to fill up this fund. The CCICED has recommended that China integrate different sources of international financing based on this new fund, explore innovative green finance mechanisms and products, and take many other measures. This is hugely welcome. We will also hear more about this topic in session three on conservation finance.
Two, transforming domestic policy setting to change how we interact with land and marine resources.
So, financing is critical. That is why I placed this first. But we also must recognize that much of the change will come from domestic regulatory policy shifts, many of which do not demand financing, but rather which will help channel resources to biodiversity. We can frame policies on agricultural policy and subsidies that lead to overuse of water, land conversion, pesticides and fertilizer. We can establish policy levers on limiting fragmentation of biodiversity and land conversion. We can establish policies on reducing food waste, because when we reduce food waste, we limit agricultural expansion. Because the truth is that biodiversity is everywhere: in the farmer’s field, in fishing areas, in cities. We need to think holistically and not just about protected areas. This is an important element in how we channel and leverage private sector and innovate financing.
Our agriculture and food systems are the most significant driver of biodiversity loss. They must change. UNEP’s sustainable food systems strategy advocates net-positive and resilient agriculture, circular food systems that also tackle food loss and waste, and sustainable lifestyles. The CCICED’s recommendation for China to implement regenerative agriculture and conservation-oriented farming can begin to shift the needle.
We also need to refocus subsidies to incentivize farmers to change practices and ensure a just transition that protects livelihoods and affordable food. The CCICED’s recommendation for China to reallocate direct budget transfers that are harmful to biodiversity is a welcome step in this direction.
Three, restoring ecosystems.
Conserving nature, which we will discuss in session one, is not enough. We must also bring back what has been lost. According to a UNCCD publication in 2022, 40 per cent of all terrestrial land is degraded. Soils are degrading, leading to reducing agricultural yields which, in turn, leads to expansion into untouched and virgin lands. China has a long history in ecosystem restoration. One such example is the work begun in the 1990s on the Loess Plateau. And we know that restoration will bring huge benefits – including supporting China’s 2060 carbon neutrality goal. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is backing commitments to restore one billion hectares of land by 2030. China’s Shan-Shui initiative to restore millions of hectares has been recognized as a flagship for the UN Decade. This initiative takes a holistic approach across agriculture, forest conservation, river restoration and more. I congratulate China on this work and look forward to seeing what we can achieve together under the decade.
Friends,
These are just some of the areas in which we must work together. We could go into many more – for example, the role of greening cities in an urbanizing world, which will be essential in China to achieve the goal of ecological civilization.
The key point is that biodiversity is everywhere. Our economies and societies depend on it for survival. So, we need a whole-of-society, whole-of-government approach to the GBF. An approach that emphasizes economic transformation, including accounting for the value of nature and reforming trade. An approach that enhances right-based approaches that includes Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.
China has led on bringing us to the point where we have a strong GBF. Now, with the CCICED’s guidance and with the support of everyone, including UNEP, we have every faith that China can and will take the lead in quickly implementing it.
