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Countdown to CBD COP15: Landmark Leaders Event for a
Nature Positive World
Securing an agreement to save our life support systems
CONCEPT NOTE
Date: 20 September 2022, Time: Reception - 18.00 (NY time), Main programme - 19.00 (NY time)
Location: WCS’s Central Park Zoo (VVIPs and VIPsTICKET ONLY) & Livestreamed
The High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC for N&P), the Global Ocean Alliance (GOA),
the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature (LPN) are organising a high-level event in the margins of the 77th
session of the UN General Assembly. Government leaders and partners will present a refreshed
ambition for nature and people on ocean and land and showcase key actions in support of acomprehensive approach to finance, including resource mobilization from all sources in order toachieve 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 takeplace in December 2022 in Montreal under the China Presidency and ensure its immediate,inclusive and effective implementation.
Event Objectives--To build momentum ahead of CBD COP15 on the importance of securing an ambitious andtransformative 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.
To demonstrate progress and take stock of previous commitments take on achievements
and progress on delivering past announcementsTo renew commitments from leaders by pledging new actions to deliver on the objectives ofthe 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 ofthe GBF.

Hosts and co-sponsors: The event is led by a cross regional group of countries including Bhutan,Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, European Union, France, Gabon, Germany, Nigeria, UnitedKingdom, United States of America as well as their partners: BirdLife International, Business forNature, Capitals Coalition, Club of Rome, Conservation International (CI), Enduring Earth, Financefor Biodiversity Pledge, Global Commons Alliance, Global Environment Facility (GEF), International
Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),
National Geographic & Campaign for Nature, Nature 4 Life Hub, Nature Positive by 2030 Campaign,
Planetary Emergency Partnership, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Nature Conservancy (TNC),Countdown to CBD COP15: Landmark Leaders Event for a Nature Positive World Version September 15, 2022

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Participants
Heads of State and Government representing a diverse range of regions will be the primaryparticipants, and Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Environment, Finance will be welcomed. The UN
Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly as well as the current and incoming
CBD, UNFCCC and UNCCD COP Presidencies will be invited, as well as representatives of Indigenous
Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), youth-focused organizations, businesses, as well as fromcivil society organizations. Heads of UN entities, High-level representatives from multilateraldevelopment banks, financial institutions and foundations, are also invited.
Format of the event
The event will be in person in New York with a webcast option for viewers. It will take place on
Tuesday 20 September 2022 from 7:00p.m. - 9:00p.m. (tbc). In person participation in New York isforeseen. The event will be moderated by a High-Level leader and Heads of State and Government
and partners will give short statements or take part in live panels focused on significant, concreteand ambitious actions and announcements to achieve and finance an equitable and nature positive
world by 2030 and support the effective implementation of the CBD post-2020 GBF. The event will
also include an interactive segment as well as statements/interventions from the private sector,
financial institutions, and other non-state actors. Videos showcasing significant nature positive
actions will be included.
Background
This High Level event comes at a key moment when the world is faced with multiple crises,
including biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, food insecurity and recovering fromCOVID-19. Failing to deliver these ambitious decisions is simply not an option. UNGA-77 is a key
milestone ahead of CBD COP15 to build upon the compelling evidence 1 and accelerate efforts,
including as part of: the Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs, the UN Decade on Ecosystem
Restoration, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and high levelcommitments made over the past years such as the 2020 UN Summit on Biodiversity, the Kunming
CBD COP15.1.
This event seeks to build on previous LPN/HAC/GOA events such as the LPN event hosted inassociation with Stockholm +50 “Financing the transition to a Nature Positive Future”2 as well asthe event co-hosted by the GOA and HAC at the UN Ocean Conference, titled “Driving Positive OceanAction: The Challenges and Opportunities of Sustainable Finance for 30by30 and Blue Economies
and the recent joint statement to step up global ambition to address the interdependent crises ofbiodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation and climate change, on the occasion of the High-Level
Meeting “Moment for Nature”3.

1

Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services; IPBES Assessment Report on
Sustainable Use of Wild Species; IPBES Assessment Report on the Diverse Values and Valuation of Nature;
Special report on Climate Change and Land; UNEP 2021 Report – Making Peace with Nature; IPBES#PandemicsReport: Escaping the 'Era of Pandemics; IPBES-IPCC CO-Sponsored Workshop Biodiversity And
Climate Change Workshop Report; UN Oceans Conference political declaration
2Financing the transition to a Nature Positive Future Co-hosts summary
3
Joint statement on global ambition to address the interdependent crises of biodiversity loss, ecosystemdegradation and climate change, on the occasion of the High-Level Meeting “Moment for Nature”
Countdown to CBD COP15: Landmark Leaders Event for a Nature Positive World Version September 15, 2022

Despite ambitious high-level commitments including through the LPN, HAC and GOA, more isneeded 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 ofChina.
The stakes could not be higher, and the current decade is decisive. Failure for nature will mean
failure for multiple agendas from climate to security and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and failure to secure continuity of all life on earth. In view of the urgency, leaders’continued ambition and resolve to accelerate efforts is key to success.
Types of significant announcements and actions to be showcased
Event organizers are seeking in particular significant and action-oriented announcements andactions in the areas of domestic financing, international financing and private/blended andinnovative financing, including blue finance, in line with equitably transitioning to a nature-positive
economy and world, as well as progress on delivering past commitments. These will need to directly
demonstrate how they will support the implementation of an ambitious and transformational global
biodiversity framework.
Contact us
If you are interested in showcasing significant, concrete and ambitious actions and announcements
to finance an equitable and Nature Positive world by 2030, please email –ritazaghloul@cambioclimatico.go.cr and cblanchard@wwfint.org

Countdown to CBD COP15: Landmark Leaders Event for a Nature Positive World Version September 15, 2022