EVENT Countdown to COP15: Landmark Leaders’ Event for a Nature Positive World

• 20 September 2022
• 19:00 ET
• Ticket-only event, Livestreamed.

 

 

 

 

Watch the livestream of Countdown to COP15: Landmark Leaders’ Event for a Nature Positive World from Kolektive on Vimeo. Use the interpretation widget below for language translations.

The science is undisputable. The world is headed ever closer to an irreversible crisis of nature and climate, faced with pollution, food insecurity and the challenges of recovering from COVID-19. People’s homes, livelihoods, survival and our life support systems are at risk. The stakes could not be higher, and the current decade is decisive. Failure for nature will mean failure for climate, security, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and failure to secure continuity of all life on earth.

This year the world has an unprecedented opportunity with the CBD COP15 to turn the tide and reverse biodiversity loss, supporting climate action and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The United Nations General Assembly is a key milestone to build upon compelling evidence and accelerate efforts.

Time is running out, the countdown has begun.

In September a landmark, high-level event will be held on the margins of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Organised by the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC for N&P), the Global Ocean Alliance (GOA) and, the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature (LPN)

Government leaders and partners will present a refreshed ambition for nature and people on ocean and land and showcase key actions in support of a comprehensive approach to finance, including resource mobilization from all sources in order to achieve an equitable and Nature Positive world by 2030. The ambition and announcements will demonstrate the highest level of commitment from leaders to secure an ambitious global biodiversity framework (GBF) at COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to take place in December 2022 in Montreal under the China Presidency and ensure its immediate, inclusive and effective implementation (see full list organizers and event details in concept note).

Event Objectives

Despite ambitious high-level commitments including through the LPN, HAC and GOA, more is needed to translate them into key decisions for nature, including the negotiations of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework to be adopted at the CBD COP15 in Montreal under the Presidency of China.

Grounded on past efforts and political will, the event will:

• Build momentum ahead of CBD COP15 on the importance of securing an ambitious and transformative Post 2020 GBF that commits to reversing biodiversity loss to secure a nature positive world by 2030, including the adoption of the target to conserve and protect at least 30% of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030, transforming the economy and key productive sectors currently destroying nature,
• Demonstrate progress and take stock of previous commitments take on achievements and progress on delivering past announcements,
• Renew commitments from leaders by pledging new actions to deliver on the objectives of the LPN, HAC for N&P and GOA, in particular around finance for nature and people, including resource mobilization from all sources, in support of impactful implementation of the GBF.

The event

The event will take 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.

Featured speakers

• H.E. Mrs. Ursula Von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission
• H.E. Mr. Gustavo Petro, President of the Republic of Colombia
• H. E. Mr. Rodrigo Chaves Robles, President of Costa Rica
• H.E. Mr. Guillermo Lasso, President of Ecuador
• Rt. Hon. Mr. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
• H.E. Mr. Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany
• H.E. Dr. Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister of Bhutan
• H.E. Ms Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand
• H.E. Mr. Huang Runqiu, President of the COP15 and Minister of Ecology and Environment of China
• H.E. Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations
• H.E. Mr. Frans Timmermans, Vice President of the European Union
• H.E. Ms. Monica Medina, Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs of the USA
• Ms. Jennifer Tauli Corpuz, International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB), caucus of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities at the CBD and adviser to the COP15
• Ms. Valérie Courtois – Director, Indigenous Leadership Initiative, a partner with Enduring Earth in the Indigenous-led PFP proposal in NWT, Canada

Other confirmed speakers include UNEP, CBD, European Investment Bank, GSK, GEF, Finance for Biodiversity Pledge, IUCN, Protect our Planet Challenge.

The Master of Ceremony for the event will be Ms. Andrea Meza, Deputy Executive Secretary, UNCCD

NB: A limited number of interventions may be in video format