At	  the	  Biodiversity	  PreCOP	  High-­‐level	  event	  hosted	  by	  Colombia,	  global	  coalitions	  join	  forces	  for	  nature	  and	  call	  for	  an	  ambitious	  outcome	  at	  COP	  15	  	  	  August	  30th,	  2021	  	  	  As	   the	   negotiations	   for	   a	   Global	   Biodiversity	   Framework	   are	   moving	   forward	   ahead	   of	   the	  crucial	  COP15	  meeting	  of	  the	  UN	  Convention	  on	  Biological	  Diversity,	  the	  representatives	  of	  three	  political	   coalitions	   endorsed	   by	   116	   countries	   -­‐	   the	   “Leaders	   Pledge	   for	   Nature”,	   the	   “High	  Ambition	   Coalition	   for	   Nature	   and	   People”	   and	   the	   “Global	   Ocean	   Alliance”	   -­‐	   have	   joined	   forces	  today	   at	   the	   high	   level	   PreCOP	   event	   hosted	   by	   the	   Government	   of	   Colombia.	   Together	   they	  reaffirm	  the	  urgency	  of	  reversing	  biodiversity	  loss	  by	  2030	  to	  address	  the	  interdependent	  crises	  of	   biodiversity	   loss,	   ecosystem	   degradation	   and	   climate	   change	   and	   achieve	   sustainable	  development.	  	  The	   science	   is	   clear:	   one	   million	   species	   are	   at	   risk	   of	   extinction	   and	   irreversible	   cascading	  tipping	   points	   in	   the	   Earth	   system	   might	   be	   passed	   within	   decades.	   The	   “Leaders	   Pledge	   for	  Nature”,	  the	  “High	  Ambition	  Coalition	  for	  Nature	  and	  People”	  and	  the	  “Global	  Ocean	  Alliance”	  have	  emerged	  to	  mobilize	  action	  and	  support	  for	  the	  protection	  and	  restoration	  of	  nature	  as	  a	  crucial	   contribution	   to	   address	   the	   planetary	   emergency.	   Since	   2019,	   these	   three	   political	  coalitions,	   comprised	   and	   supported	   by	   hundreds	   of	   participants	   from	   governments	   and	   non-­‐state	   actors,	   have	   been	   critical	   to	   build	   the	   momentum	   needed	   for	   the	   adoption	   of	   an	  ambitious,	   effective,	   and	   transformational	   post-­‐2020	   Global	   Biodiversity	   Framework	   at	   the	  COP15,	  to	  be	  hosted	  by	  China	  from	  11	  to	  15	  October	  2021	  and	  25	  April	  to	  8	  May	  2022.	  	  The	  three	  political	  Coalitions	  are	  promoting	  specific	  and	  complementary	  objectives	  to	  protect,	  conserve,	   restore	   and	   sustainably	   use	   biodiversity,	   based	   on	   robust	   scientific	   evidence	   and	  traditional	  knowledge,	  including:	  the	  scaling-­‐up	  of	  nature-­‐based	  solutions	  and	  ecosystem	  based	  approaches,	  and	  circular	  economy	  to	  accelerate	  the	  transition	  to	  sustainable	  growth;	  a	  green	  recovery	   to	   the	   Covid-­‐19	   pandemic;	   the	   deployment	   of	   financial	   and	   non-­‐financial	   means	   of	  implementation	   from	   all	   sources;	   the	   integration	   of	   a	   “one	   health”	   approach	   into	   relevant	  decision	   making	   processes;	   strengthening	   synergies	   with	   other	   conventions	   and	   sectors;	   and	  ending	  illicit	  threats	  to	  nature	  and	
  crimes	  that	  affect	  the	  environment.	  	  In	  particular,	  the	  coalitions	  have	  also	  committed	  to	  significantly	  increase	  the	  protection	  of	  the	  planet’s	  land	  and	  ocean,	  with	  the	  High	  Ambition	  Coalition	  for	  Nature	  and	  People	  and	  the	  Global	  Ocean	  Alliance	  having	  a	  special	  focus	  on	  the	  aim	  to	  protect	  and	  conserve	  at	  least	  30%	  of	  the	  global	  land	  and	  at	  least	  30%	  of	  the	  global	  ocean	  by	  2030.	  	  	  	  Statement:	  	  We,	   representatives	   of	   at	   least	   one	   of	   the	   three	   coalitions	   -­‐	   the	   “Leaders	   Pledge	   for	   Nature”,	  the	   “High	   Ambition	   Coalition	   for	   Nature	   and	   People”	   and/or	   the	   “Global	   Ocean	   Alliance”,	  endorsed	  by	  116	  world	  leaders	  and	  governments,	  	  State	  our	  determination	  to	  work	  together	  towards	  COP15	  to	  translate	  our	  joint	  commitments	  into	   concrete	   agreements	   in	   the	   Global	   Biodiversity	   Framework	   in	   order	   to	   ensure	  transformative	   action	   on	   the	   ground	   and	   to	   find	   constructive	   solutions	   to	   overcome	  divergences	  in	  the	  negotiation	  process;	  	  Recognize	   the	   importance	   of	   the	   full	   and	   comprehensive	   implementation	   of	   all	   our	  commitments	   and	   the	   urgent	   need	   to	   overcome	   silo	   thinking.	   We	   will	   continue	   to	   do	   this	   by	  taking	   an	   integrated	   and	   holistic	   approach	   to	   address	   the	   direct	   and	   indirect	   drivers	   of	  biodiversity	  loss,	  which	  implies,	  among	  others,	  acting	  in	  an	  articulated	  manner	  across	  all	  sectors	  and	  taking	  action	  on	  interdependent	  crises,	  such	  as	  climate	  change;	  	  Note	   with	   concern	   that,	   despite	   significant	   progress	   in	   the	   First	   Draft	   of	   the	   post-­‐2020	   Global	  Biodiversity	  Framework,	  additional	  efforts	  are	  urgently	  needed	  from	  all	  Parties	  to	  ensure	  that	  the	   goals,	   targets	   and	   means	   of	   implementation	   of	   the	   Framework	   reach	   the	   necessary	  ambition	  to	  halt	  and	  reverse	  biodiversity	  loss	  by	  2030;	  	  Encourage	  all	  196	  Parties	  of	  the	  Convention	  on	  Biological	  Diversity,	  observers	  and	  all	  relevant	  stakeholders	   to	   step	   up	   implementation	   and	   to	   work	   together	   to	   ensure	   that	   the	   framework	   to	  be	  agreed	  contains	  commitments	  to:	  	  	  1. Achieve	   ambitious	   targets	   on	   ecosystems	   and	   species	   conservation	   and	   restoration,	  including	  to	  bend	  the	  curve	  of	  biodiversity	  loss	  by	  2030;	  2. Transform	   the	   current	   unsustainable	   patterns	   of	   consumption	   and	   production	   into	  sustainable	   ones	   to	   meet	   people’s	   need	   while	   remaining	   well	   within	   the	   limits	   of	  planetary	  boundaries;	  3. Scale-­‐up	  investment	  in	  the	  protection	  of	  nature;	  4. Mainstream	   biodiversity	   conservation	   and	   sustainable	   use	   into	   decision-­‐making	  processes	   and	   instruments	   at	   all	   levels	   of	   government	   and	   society,	   including	   key	  sectors	   such	   as	   food	   production,	   agriculture,	   fisheries	   and	   forestry,	   aquaculture,	  energy,	  tourism,	  transport,	  infrastructure	  and	  extractive	  industries,	  trade	  and	  supply	  chains,	  and	  health;	  5. Ensure	  effective	  and	  adequate	  means	  of	  implementation,	  including	  by:	  - Significantly	   scaling	   and	   enhancing	   resource	   mobilization	   from	   all	   sources,	  including	  through	  the	  promotion	  of	  innovative	  mechanisms;	  	  - Eliminating	  harmful	  incentives	  while	  creating	  positive	  ones;	  and	  - Aligning	   financial	   flows	   to	   a	   nature	   positive	   economy,	   bringing	   business	   and	   the	  private	  sector,	  including	  the	  financial	  sector,	  on	  board.	  6. Develop	  a	  strong	  monitoring	  and	  review	  mechanism	  to	  back	  up	  commitments;	  7. Foster	   sustainable	   partnerships	   to	   ensure	   a	   whole-­‐of-­‐society	   approach	   with	   the	  inclusion	   of	   indigenous	   peoples	   and	   local	   communities,	   women	   and	   girls,	   youth	   and	  marginalized	  communities.	  	  	  	  Urge	   all	   governments	   to	   join	   our	   Coalitions	   to	   ensure	   the	   highest	   ambition	   in	   the	   upcoming	  negotiations	  and	  implement	  the	  commitments	  included	  in	  the	  Leaders’	  Pledge	  for	  Nature.	  	  	  There	  is	  no	  time	  to	  lose:	  we	  need	  fast	  and	  deep	  transformative	  change	  of	  a	  type	  never	  before	  attempted.	  Falling	  short	  on	  our	  endeavor	  is	  not	  an	  option.	  	  	  For	  more	  information	  of	  the	  work	  of	  the	  Coalitions,	  including	  on	  action	  on	  the	  ground	  and	  our	  joint	  collaboration	  towards	  COP15,	  please	  visit:	  	  Leaders	  Pledge	  for	  Nature	  Global	  Ocean	  Alliance:	  30by30	  initiative	  	  HAC	  for	  Nature	  and	  People	  	  Endorsed	  by:	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  Albania	  Andorra	  Antigua	  &	  Barbuda	  Armenia	  Austria	  Bangladesh	  Barbados	  Belgium	  Belize	  Bhutan	  Bolivia	  Bosnia	  and	  Herzegovina	  Bulgaria	  Cabo	  Verde	  Colombia	  Comoros	  Costa	  Rica	  Croatia	  Cyprus	  Czech	  Republic	  Angola	  Armenia	  Austria	  Belgium	  Bhutan	  Botswana	  Cambodia	  Chad	  Chile	  Colombia	  Costa	  Rica	  Côte	  d’Ivoire	  Croatia	  Czech	  Republic	  Democratic	  Republic	  of	  Congo	  Denmark	  	  Dominican	  Republic	  Ecuador	  Ethiopia	  Finland	  Albania	  Armenia	  Bangladesh	  Barbados	  Belgium	  Belize	  Cabo	  Verde	  Cambodia	  Chile	  Colombia	  Costa	  Rica	  Croatia	  Cyprus	  Denmark	  Dominica	  Ecuador	  Fiji	  Finland	  France	  Gabon	  Denmark	  	  Djibouti	  Estonia	  Ethiopia	  Fiji	  Finland	  France	  Gabon	  Gambia	  Georgia	  Germany	  Greece	  Guatemala	  Guyana	  Honduras	  Hungary	  Iceland	  Ireland	  Israël	  Italy	  Japan	  Jordan	  Kenya	  Latvia	  Lebanon	  Lesotho	  Lithuania	  Luxembourg	  Maldives	  Malta	  Marshall	  Islands	  Mexico	  Moldova	  Monaco	  Mongolia	  Montenegro	  Morocco	  Nepal	  Netherlands	  New	  Zealand	  Nigeria	  North	  Macedonia	  Norway	  Pakistan	  Palau	  Panama	  Paraguay	  Peru	  Portugal	  Republic	  of	  Congo	  Romania	  San	  Marino	  Seychelles	  Slovakia	  Slovenia	  South	  Korea	  Spain	  Sri	  Lanka	  France	  Gabon	  Germany	  Greece	  Grenada	  Guatemala	  Guinea	  Bissau	  Ireland	  Italy	  Japan	  Jordan	  Kenya	  Luxembourg	  Maldives	  Marshall	  Islands	  Mexico	  Monaco	  Mongolia	  Morocco	  Mozambique	  Netherlands	  Nicaragua	  Niger	  Nigeria	  Norway	  Pakistan	  Panama	  Peru	  Portugal	  Republic	  of	  Congo	  Republic	  of	  Trinidad	  and	  Tobago	  Romania	  Rwanda	  Senegal	  Seychelles	  Slovakia	  Slovenia	  South	  Korea	  Spain	  Sweden	  Switzerland	  Uganda	  United	  Arab	  Emirates	  United	  Kingdom	  European	  Commission	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  Germany	  Guatemala	  Guinea	  Guyana	  Honduras	  Italy	  Jordan	  Kenya	  Luxembourg	  Maldives	  Mauritania	  Monaco	  Montenegro	  Nicaragua	  Nigeria	  Norway	  Palau	  Panama	  Portugal	  Republic	  of	  Kiribati	  Republic	  of	  Trinidad	  and	  Tobago	  São	  Tomé	  and	  Príncipe	  Senegal	  Seychelles	  South	  Korea	  Spain	  St	  Kitts	  and	  Nevis	  Sweden	  Togo	  United	  Arab	  Emirates	  United	  Kingdom	  Vanuatu	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  St	  Lucia	  St	  Vincent	  and	  Grenadines	  Suriname	  Sweden	  Switzerland	  Timor	  Leste	  Uganda	  United	  Kingdom	  Vietnam	  European	  Union