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On the International Day for Biological Diversity, Razan Al Mubarak, IUCN President and UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28, emphasized the interconnectedness of biodiversity and climate change in her recent editorial in The National. Highlighting the critical role of ecosystems in providing essential services, from pollination and water filtration to carbon storage, she calls for urgent global action to address the threats these systems face from human activity.
Ms. Al Mubarak points to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, where nations committed to protecting 30% of their land and seas by 2030, as a key example of the international effort required to reverse biodiversity loss. She stresses the importance of aligning this with climate strategies under the frameworks of both the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The UAE Consensus, agreed to by all nations at COP28, serves as a significant milestone, with commitments to halt deforestation by 2030 and pledges totaling $2.7 billion to fund nature protection efforts. Ms. Al Mubarak underlines the role of countries like the UAE, which has committed $100 million to forest preservation, in leading by example.
The editorial also recognizes the indispensable contributions of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in conserving biodiversity, advocating for their continued involvement and acknowledgment in global environmental governance.
As the world approaches more critical meetings like COP29 and COP16, Ms. Al Mubarak calls for sustained political will, inclusive engagement, and robust financial support to implement the agreed-upon actions effectively. Her message is clear: on this International Day for Biological Diversity, everyone must be part of the plan to ensure a sustainable and resilient future.