Alongside the climate crisis, the pressure is also fierce on biodiversity, according to a new UN report. The report shows setbacks for the global species protection goals, but also that efforts have actually led to improvements.
The UN report “Global Biodiversity Outlook” is a status report on the UN’s now ten-year-old global goals for protecting biodiversity. Few goals have been achieved for biodiversity.
Charlotta Sörqvist is Sweden’s chief negotiator in the global negotiations on biological diversity goals.
– No, we do not reach the goals, not fully. At the same time, this report also shows that there are good stories that where you take action, you can actually turn the tide, says Charlotta Sörqvist and gives a couple of examples.
– Even if deforestation increases, the pace has decreased where they have acted and tried to reduce deforestation. It shows that it is possible to influence development, she continues.
– There has also been an increase in protected areas overall. It shows that if you have goals and a clear measurability can actually make a difference, says Charlotta Sörqvist.
Researchers continue warn of extinct species, sparsely populated areas, and devastated environments. The population of wild animals has been reduced by two thirds since 1970, and that decline continues.
To break the trend, according to the UN, climate change must be stopped. At the same time, production will be sustainable from food, raw materials and other resources, plus we will reduce consumption.
One conclusion of the report is that the protection of biodiversity is not just about protecting species for their own right to exist, but also that we humans cannot survive without strong ecosystems.
The UN is negotiating now about new goals and solutions to preserve the biodiversity we depend on.
The UN is discussing protecting 30 percent of both land and marine areas, the European Commission has put such a proposal.
Charlotta Sörqvist, who negotiates the diversity agreement, emphasizes that it is primarily about how all the environment is used sustainably. If areas are to be protected, it is important to ensure that the protection is good.
– It’s not just just a percentage, they also talk about how you can ensure that you have a quality, that you protect the right areas, that you not only choose those that are left over, but in that case protect the areas needed to ensure that endangered animals and plant species can live on, says the UN negotiator on biodiversity, Charlotta Sörqvist.