Co-hosts’ summary of UNGA High-level event ‘Transformative Action for Nature & People’on 22nd September 2021
Introduction
1. On 22 September 2021, more than 53 Leaders and representatives convened at a high-level eventof the UN General Assembly on ‘Transformative Action for Nature & People’ to reaffirm the urgencyof reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. This summary provides an overview of the ambitious actions
showcased and announced during the event, general considerations referred to during discussions,and proposed next steps.
2. At the PreCOP (Conference of Parties)of the CBD hosted by Colombia in August 2021, the High
Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC for N&P), the Global Ocean Alliance (GOA) and theLeaders’ Pledge for Nature (LPN) came together and presented a joint statement on joining forcesfor nature and calling for an ambitious outcome at CBD COP15. Members of the coalitions statedtheir determination to work together to translate joint commitments into concrete agreementsand ambition in the Global Biodiversity Framework in order to ensure transformative action on theground and to find constructive solutions to overcome challenges confronting us.
3. Following the joint statement, the LPN Core Group and the co-chairs of the HAC for N&P and GOA
worked together to deliver the UNGA High-level event ‘Transformative Action for Nature & People’(the event press release can be found here, and an event programme can be found here). The UNGA
High-level event was held on 22nd September 2021 at 8AM EDT in a hybrid format during the UNDP
Nature for Life Hub opening session. It was co-hosted by Antigua & Barbuda, the Alliance of Small
Island States (AOSIS), Belgium, Bhutan, Colombia, Costa Rica, European Union (EU), France, Gabon,UK and Vietnam as well as partners: the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), National
Geographic & Campaign for Nature, Nature 4 Life Hub, Planetary Emergency Partnership, UNEP,UNDP, and World Wide Fund for Nature.
4. The event sought to reaffirm the urgency of reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 to address theinterdependent crises of biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation and climate change. It also
fulfilled the commitment within the LPN to meet at UNGA-76 and was an opportunity to present
progress on the growing membership of the HAC for N&P (72 members, including the EuropeanCommission), the GOA (61 members) and the LPN (92 endorsers, including the EU). Together thesethree coalitions represent 120 countries, 41% of global GDP and 32% of the world population.
5. 15 Heads of State and Government1, 10 ministers2, 5 high-level and senior UN officials, and 12
leaders from Indigenous peoples and local communities, the finance sector, philanthropy and civilsociety delivered statements during the event which was moderated by Dr. Musonda Mumba(Director for the Rome Centre for Sustainable Development, UNDP). In addition, 12 leaders3
participated in live panel discussions on ‘Transformative Actions to Conserve, Sustainably Use, andRestore and Mainstream Biodiversity’ and ‘Financing a Nature Positive World’. The event attracted
over 39, 000 views.

1Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Belgium, Chile (UNFCCC COP25 President), Croatia, European Commission,Fiji, Gabon, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (UNFCCC
COP26 President).
2
China (CBD COP15 President), France, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and theUnited Arab Emirates.
3Bezos Earth Fund, Bhutan, Costa Rica, Colombia, Enduring Earth, International Indigenous Peoples
Forum on Climate Change, Maldives, Nigeria, Norway (UNEA 5.2 President), Rainforest Trust, UNDP andWWF.

Ambitious actions and announcements
6. The following actions were showcased and announced during the event:a. Financial commitments● “Protecting Our Planet Challenge”: Nine philanthropic organizations4 launched theProtecting Our Planet Challenge and pledged $5 billion (the largest-ever philanthropic
commitment to nature conservation) to protect and conserve 30% of the planet by
2030 by supporting protected areas and with the inclusion, participation andpartnership of Indigenous peoples and local communities.
● Finance for Biodiversity Pledge’s initiative: 75 financial institutions – worth a collective€12 trillion in assets – committed to protecting and restoring biodiversity through theirfinancial activities and investments and to assess their biodiversity impact, set targets
and disclose progress in their annual reports before 2025.
● Green Climate Fund: Continues to devote a considerable portion of its $9 billion
portfolio, and committed to expand its contribution, to restoring ecosystems while
creating jobs.
● European Commission: Reiterated that the European Union will double its externalfunding for biodiversity in the next 7 years compared to 2014-2020 and will particularly
assist the most vulnerable countries.
● Germany: Announced a desire to increase their contribution to international climate
financing to an annual €6 billion by 2025.
● Belgium: Announced it will increase their global climate funding by 30% from €70
million to €100 million.
b. Protection and restoration of land and ocean● Costa Rica: Announced that it would increase ocean protection from 2.67% to 30%. Thiswill include expanding the Cocos Islands National Park.
● Nigeria: Announced the establishment of ten new national parks across thecountry and the creation of marine protected areas.
● Austria and Hungary (and Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia): Mentioned the recentlyestablished UNESCO biosphere reserve, the Mura-Drava-Danube reserve (the so-called‘Amazon of Europe’). This is now the continent’s largest riverine protected area and theworld’s first five-nation biosphere reserve.
● Indigenous conservation leaders from areas in Canada’s James Bay, Hudson Bay, andLabrador Sea: Announced the aim to create six new Indigenous-led Protected Areas.
● 30by30 ocean target: Between the GOA, HAC for N & P, and other initiatives, over 100
countries now support the ocean “30by30” target.
c. Sustainable Consumption and Production● Antigua and Barbuda: Announced steps toward a transformational legally binding
agreement to combat plastic pollution on behalf of the more than 70 member states ofthe AOSIS.
● Belgium: Showcased their national efforts to transition to sustainable food systems.
General considerations
7. Leaders emphasised that protecting and conserving at least 30% of the land and of the ocean
globally by 2030 was a necessity which provides a clear triple win for biodiversity, climate andpeople. This was matched with several announcements for new national protected areas and thewelcome news that over 100 countries now support the 30% global ocean protection target.
4This includes donations from Arcadia – a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin; Bezos
Earth Fund; Bloomberg Philanthropies; Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; Nia Tero; Rainforest Trust($500 million); Re:wild; Wyss Foundation ($500 million); and the Rob and Melani Walton Foundation.

8. Leaders converged on the need to unlock finance and shift away from harmful investments, buildingon the understanding that investing in nature ultimately benefits economies, livelihoods andpeople. Leaders welcomed the generous philanthropic donations and the commitment to stop
harmful activities and investments for biodiversity, but underscored that this should complement,
and not replace, public finance. Further public and private commitments are required, as well as
strong collaboration between governments, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities within arobust accountability framework.
9. Leaders underlined the importance of striving towards a nature-positive, net-zero and equitable
future. They also stressed the need to take a whole of society approach, acknowledging the crucialrole of indigenous peoples and local communities for effective and meaningful conservation andrestoration of nature, and recognising their participation and rights according to nationallegislation. Some leaders highlighted additional areas of focus, including the necessity to: prioritise
climate action (even during the pandemic), transform fiscal and trade policies, manage the ocean
sustainably including tackling marine pollution, and continue to make emission cuts e.g. bytransitioning to renewable energy sources.
10. The upcoming biodiversity and climate change COPs were emphasised by many leaders as having
the potential to shape the future of humankind, and most leaders concluded with the stark message
that “humanity is running out of time to make peace with nature”.
Next steps
11. Looking ahead, the co-hosts recommend that all members of the HAC for N&P, GOA and LPN:
a. Align their efforts in the immediate future to ensure UNFCCC COP26 is a success, with astrong focus on nature, and urge all leaders to continue making ambitious announcements
at this summit, including endorsing the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests & Land, inorder to create the step-change required to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030;
b. Ahead of CBD COP15, focus their collective efforts on securing an ambitious, effective, andtransformational Global Biodiversity Framework which commits society to being nature
positive by 2030, including by halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030, protecting
and conserving at least 30% of the land and of the ocean globally by 2030, agreeing anambitious approach to implementation, and mobilising sufficient finance from all sourcesto achieve these outcomes;c. Participate in a joint event and meetings to define strategies and deliver the 7 priorities
outlined in the recently agreed HAC for N&P/GOA/LPN joint statement released at the CBD
PreCOP; and,d. Meet again at UNGA-77 to review progress, reaffirm their objectives, and provide an
opportunity to showcase and encourage further ambitious action.
12. Reflecting on the commitments announced and actions showcased at the event, the co-hosts
recommend that the LPN core group publishes a synthesis outlining progress against the LPN’s 10
commitments over 2020-21, and continues to coordinate with HAC for N&P and GOA in the lead upto CBD COP15.