UN leader calls for 'significant' financial support at conference to protect the environment
During the opening ceremony of the UN Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia, UN chief Antonio Guterres emphasized the need for "significant investment" in a fund established to protect the planet's biodiversity, delivering his remarks to delegates via video.
TroibNews 
UN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday called for "significant investment" in a fund established to protect Earth's biodiversity during his address to delegates via video at the UN Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia.
"We must leave Cali with significant investment in the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund and commitments to mobilize other sources of public and private finance," said the secretary-general.
The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), launched last year, aims to assist countries in meeting the objectives of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which was adopted in Canada in 2022 and includes 23 targets designed to "halt and reverse" nature's decline by 2030.
As per reports from monitoring agencies, countries have pledged around $250 million to the fund thus far.
This fund is a component of a larger agreement reached in Montreal two years ago, which calls for countries to mobilize at least $200 billion annually by 2030 for biodiversity initiatives, including a commitment of $20 billion per year by 2025 from wealthy nations to aid developing countries.
Guterres stressed that the destruction of nature leads to increased conflict, hunger, and disease, exacerbates poverty, and negatively impacts GDP.
"A collapse in nature's services, such as pollination and clean water, would see the global economy lose trillions of dollars a year, with the poorest hardest hit," he warned.
To avoid such outcomes, it is vital for countries to "honor promises on finance and accelerate support to developing countries," Guterres insisted.
"Those profiting from nature must contribute to its protection and restoration," he emphasized.
Approximately 12,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries were expected to participate in the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity from October 21 to November 1 in Cali, Colombia.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
"We must leave Cali with significant investment in the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund and commitments to mobilize other sources of public and private finance," said the secretary-general.
The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), launched last year, aims to assist countries in meeting the objectives of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which was adopted in Canada in 2022 and includes 23 targets designed to "halt and reverse" nature's decline by 2030.
As per reports from monitoring agencies, countries have pledged around $250 million to the fund thus far.
This fund is a component of a larger agreement reached in Montreal two years ago, which calls for countries to mobilize at least $200 billion annually by 2030 for biodiversity initiatives, including a commitment of $20 billion per year by 2025 from wealthy nations to aid developing countries.
Guterres stressed that the destruction of nature leads to increased conflict, hunger, and disease, exacerbates poverty, and negatively impacts GDP.
"A collapse in nature's services, such as pollination and clean water, would see the global economy lose trillions of dollars a year, with the poorest hardest hit," he warned.
To avoid such outcomes, it is vital for countries to "honor promises on finance and accelerate support to developing countries," Guterres insisted.
"Those profiting from nature must contribute to its protection and restoration," he emphasized.
Approximately 12,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries were expected to participate in the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity from October 21 to November 1 in Cali, Colombia.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
