Biodiversity: statement by international scientific advisers
Senior scientific advisers from around the world sign a statement to governments on biodiversity.
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A statement signed by senior international scientific advisers from 27 countries and organisations around the world and published ahead of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Montreal, Canada, demonstrates consensus on what needs to be done to tackle biodiversity issues. It calls on world leaders to do 6 things:
- Commit to the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
- Invest immediately in actions for which there is compelling evidence of beneficial effects on biodiversity.
- Implement robust, transparent, scalable, replicable and effective mechanisms for biodiversity monitoring that meet international standards.
- Coordinate action at local to international levels.
- Foster innovation
- Engage the public
The statement has been signed by senior scientific advisers in: Australia, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Portugal, Seychelles, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, UK, USA, International Science Council.
It was published today, 5 December, by the Chief Science Advisor of Canada Dr Mona Nemer, who said: “Biodiversity loss has important consequences for human health, security and socioeconomic welfare. Averting a major biodiversity crisis will require coordinated international action that is informed by the best scientific evidence. Beyond identifying the issues, we need to ensure that science is the basis for prioritizing solutions, evaluating their effectiveness and monitoring progress.”
UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, who is a signatory to the statement said: “We cannot ignore biodiversity loss - but just as science has diagnosed the problem, it can provide solutions. Integrated and collaborative planning can deliver sustainable solutions which address climate change and biodiversity loss simultaneously.”
The Statement is available on this page in all 6 UN languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Spanish and Russian.
Last updated 5 December 2022 + show all updates
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Added in a quote from Chief Science Advisor of Canada, Dr Mona Nemer.
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First published.