Last week at the first round of negotiations for global goals for nature, Australia committed to reversing global biodiversity destruction by signing on to the Kunming Declaration.
While the adoption of the Kunming Declaration is mostly symbolic, it has important implications for the proper negotiations that will re-start next year.
Last week was the first time our Environment Minister, Sussan Ley, has spoken publicly about Australia’s ambition for the UN biodiversity conference. It’s a great sign that the Minister is listening – but delivering on that promise is going to take a lot more.
Australia must now work with other nations to deliver ambitious global goals to halt and reverse biodiversity destruction and set us on a path to a nature-positive world.
This will require action at home to end extinction, protect the nature that still thrives, and restore much of what’s been lost. And to do our fair share, it will mean committing to protect at least 30% of Australia’s land, as other nations have done.
Now, ahead of the next round of negotiations in January, where a proper plan will be written, it’s up to us to demonstrate the massive public demand for Australia to be a leader and deliver ambitious global goals to turn the biodiversity crisis around.
Together, let’s show the Prime Minister and Environment Minister we expect them to step up and lead in this important moment.
The decisions our leaders make at these global negotiations will be the most important for nature in a decade. This is our Paris moment for nature.
And few countries have as much at stake as Australia.
Our ancient landscapes and amazing array of wildlife are found nowhere else on Earth. But we’re also a global deforestation hotspot with one of the worst rates of animal extinction in the world.
This is our moment to step up and turn things around. So much damage has been done – but by working together as a global community, we can protect the nature that still thrives, and restore much of what’s been lost.
Together let’s demonstrate the overwhelming public demand for a nature-positive world – with abundant wildlife, thriving ecosystems and healthy communities.
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Header: Annette Ruzicka
