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| Xi Jinping to address world leaders at UN biodiversity summit – live | Xi Jinping to address world leaders at UN biodiversity summit – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Leaders prepare to discuss the destruction of the natural world as the international community negotiates a set of targets for the next decade | Leaders prepare to discuss the destruction of the natural world as the international community negotiates a set of targets for the next decade |
| Prince Charles is speaking as we get towards the end of the introduction, telling the summit that he was immensely flattered to be invited. The Prince’s comments are focused on what he calls a “blue-green recovery”, talking of an urgent need to embrace circular economics with a Marshall plan for nature. Establishing functioning carbon markets, developing carbon capture and storage, and creating a market for ecosystem services are all key, he says. | |
| “We are at the last hour. We know what we need to do. Let’s get on with it,” the Prince concludes. | |
| A ‘fireside chat’ (without a fire) is taking place between the UN biodiversity head Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, UN environment head Inger Andersen and IPBES chair Ana María Hernández Salgar. | |
| IPBES is the biodiversity equivalent of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), informing the political process on global negotiations. Ana María Hernández Salgar says that governments, the private sector, academia and industry must come together on responding the biodiversity crisis. | |
| “We have to learn to embrace a different vision of what a good life is,” she says. | |
| Elizabeth Maruma Mrema underscores that progress has been made in some countries on biodiversity around the world and that there is lots of evidence that conservation works, preventing some extinctions. | |
| Inger Andersen says “there was a time we thought we could pollute our way to wealth” but that is now over. | |
| Ahead of the summit, more than 70 world leaders announced a 10-point plan – the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature – to halt the destruction of biodiversity on Earth. The commitments include a renewed effort to reduce deforestation, halt unsustainable fishing practices, eliminate environmentally harmful subsidies and begin the transition to sustainable food production systems and a circular economy over the next decade. | |
| The Leaders’ Pledge for Nature is NOT the UN biodiversity agreement that countries are negotiating for the Kunming process. While Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, Justin Trudeau, Jacinda Ardern and Boris Johnson all backed the commitments, key leaders like Xi Jingping, Jair Bolsonaro, Scott Morrison and Vladimir Putin have so far kept their pens in their pockets. That said, the declaration might encourage countries to agree a more ambitious set of UN targets for next decade. | |
| But as environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg points out, we have been here before. | |
| Unlike last week, Chinese president Xi Jinping has not made another major announcement on the environment. | |
| “Little by little, grains of soil pile up to make a mountain,” he tells the summit, encouraging world leaders to strike a bold international agreement on biodiversity next year in Kunming at COP15. | |
| The Chinese leader highlights the accelerated extinction of species around the world that poses a risk to human survival and development. He tells the summit that humanity must aim to turn the planet into a “beautiful homeland”. | |
| “We need to respect nature, follow its laws and protect it,” Xi continues, balancing development while upholding multilateralism as “passengers in the same boat”. | |
| As the host country of COP15, Xi Jinping tells world leaders that China stands ready to share its experience of protecting biodiversity and says the goal of the Kunming agreement is to seek modernisation alongside harmony with nature. | |
| The Chinese leader concludes by mentioning last week’s commitments to reducing future carbon emissions and the pledge to reach carbon neutrality before 2060. | |
| In a pre-recorded statement, Egyptian president Mohammed Al-Sisi tells the summit “we have to stress the link between biodiversity and sustainable development”. At COP14 in Egypt, governments began the process of negotiating the biodiversity targets for the 2020s. Last decade, the world failed to meet a single one of the targets agreed in Aichi in 2010. Covid-19 has strengthened our shared responsibility to the planet and future generations, he concludes. | In a pre-recorded statement, Egyptian president Mohammed Al-Sisi tells the summit “we have to stress the link between biodiversity and sustainable development”. At COP14 in Egypt, governments began the process of negotiating the biodiversity targets for the 2020s. Last decade, the world failed to meet a single one of the targets agreed in Aichi in 2010. Covid-19 has strengthened our shared responsibility to the planet and future generations, he concludes. |
| Xi Jinping is about to speak. | Xi Jinping is about to speak. |
| Munir Akram, President of the Economic and Social Council, is addressing the summit right now, calling for a re-imagination of GDP and nature’s role in human wealth. | Munir Akram, President of the Economic and Social Council, is addressing the summit right now, calling for a re-imagination of GDP and nature’s role in human wealth. |
| Egyptian president Mohammed Al-Sisi, who was host of the biodiversity COP14, is up next. | Egyptian president Mohammed Al-Sisi, who was host of the biodiversity COP14, is up next. |
| UN secretary-general António Guterres continues the sombre tone of the summit’s opening, outlining the poor state of life on Earth. | UN secretary-general António Guterres continues the sombre tone of the summit’s opening, outlining the poor state of life on Earth. |
| “Humanity is waging war on nature”, he declares, underscoring the importance of protecting biodiversity to the Paris agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. Guterres links biodiversity to human health, livelihoods and economies. | “Humanity is waging war on nature”, he declares, underscoring the importance of protecting biodiversity to the Paris agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. Guterres links biodiversity to human health, livelihoods and economies. |
| Guterres says there are three priorities for governments to aid the recovery of the natural world. First, nature-based solutions must be in all Covid-19 economic recovery plans for governments, investing in forests, wetlands and oceans. Second, nature must be included in a country’s measure of its own wealth, he says. Biodiversity must be a criterium in financial decision making, helping financiers to shift from the destruction to the recovery of nature, Guterres tells world leaders. Third, the world must agree ambitious targets to protect biodiversity through the Kunming agreement that will be signed in China later next year. | Guterres says there are three priorities for governments to aid the recovery of the natural world. First, nature-based solutions must be in all Covid-19 economic recovery plans for governments, investing in forests, wetlands and oceans. Second, nature must be included in a country’s measure of its own wealth, he says. Biodiversity must be a criterium in financial decision making, helping financiers to shift from the destruction to the recovery of nature, Guterres tells world leaders. Third, the world must agree ambitious targets to protect biodiversity through the Kunming agreement that will be signed in China later next year. |
| Read more about those draft targets here. | Read more about those draft targets here. |
| China is leading global talks on a major UN environment agreement for the first time with negotiations on biodiversity targets for the next decade. Today’s summit was meant to be the moment that world leaders gave their input before negotiators headed to Kunming to thrash out the “Paris agreement for nature”. The pandemic has delayed proceedings but repeated warnings linking the pandemic with the destruction of ecosystems and species appears to have focused minds at the highest level. | China is leading global talks on a major UN environment agreement for the first time with negotiations on biodiversity targets for the next decade. Today’s summit was meant to be the moment that world leaders gave their input before negotiators headed to Kunming to thrash out the “Paris agreement for nature”. The pandemic has delayed proceedings but repeated warnings linking the pandemic with the destruction of ecosystems and species appears to have focused minds at the highest level. |
| Some privately suspect that president Xi Jinping will surprise world leaders with another major environmental commitment during his speech at the summit’s opening, just days after he ramped up China’s carbon commitments by pledging to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. He will address world leaders in the next hour or so. | Some privately suspect that president Xi Jinping will surprise world leaders with another major environmental commitment during his speech at the summit’s opening, just days after he ramped up China’s carbon commitments by pledging to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. He will address world leaders in the next hour or so. |
| Ahead of today’s summit, Sir Robert Watson, former chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which informs the UN biodiversity negotiations with the latest science, told me China’s role is “absolutely critical”. | Ahead of today’s summit, Sir Robert Watson, former chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which informs the UN biodiversity negotiations with the latest science, told me China’s role is “absolutely critical”. |
| Read his full comments below. | Read his full comments below. |
| Volkan Bozkır begins the summit with a grim summary of the state of nature on planet Earth, underlining the link between zoonotic diseases and biodiversity loss. | Volkan Bozkır begins the summit with a grim summary of the state of nature on planet Earth, underlining the link between zoonotic diseases and biodiversity loss. |
| “Clearly, we must heed the lessons we have learned and respect the world in which we live,” he says, calling for “urgent action” from world leaders. He tells the summit that so many presidents and prime ministers wanted to speak today that he has organised two spillover events so all the messages can be heard. | “Clearly, we must heed the lessons we have learned and respect the world in which we live,” he says, calling for “urgent action” from world leaders. He tells the summit that so many presidents and prime ministers wanted to speak today that he has organised two spillover events so all the messages can be heard. |
| Secretary general António Guterres is up next. Then, the Chinese president Xi Jinping. | Secretary general António Guterres is up next. Then, the Chinese president Xi Jinping. |
| Talks are just about to begin. If you would like to watch along, follow the link below. The president of the 75th UN general assembly, Volkan Bozkır, will get us started. | Talks are just about to begin. If you would like to watch along, follow the link below. The president of the 75th UN general assembly, Volkan Bozkır, will get us started. |
| Good afternoon, I’m Patrick Greenfield, a biodiversity and environment reporter at the Guardian. Alongside my colleague Phoebe Weston, I’ll be live blogging proceedings from a first-of-its-kind summit at the UN in New York, where world leaders will discuss the rampant destruction of the natural world. | Good afternoon, I’m Patrick Greenfield, a biodiversity and environment reporter at the Guardian. Alongside my colleague Phoebe Weston, I’ll be live blogging proceedings from a first-of-its-kind summit at the UN in New York, where world leaders will discuss the rampant destruction of the natural world. |
| The talks come as the international community negotiates a set of biodiversity targets for the next decade, which the UN’s biodiversity head Elizabeth Maruma Mrema has called humanity’s last chance to reset its relationship with nature. Last decade, the world failed to meet a single target set at previous talks. | The talks come as the international community negotiates a set of biodiversity targets for the next decade, which the UN’s biodiversity head Elizabeth Maruma Mrema has called humanity’s last chance to reset its relationship with nature. Last decade, the world failed to meet a single target set at previous talks. |
| Xi Jinping, Jair Bolsonaro, Boris Johnson, Angela Merkel and Jacinda Ardern are among more than a hundred prime ministers and presidents who will address the event. We’ll guide you through proceedings that will begin at 10am EST (3pm BST) with an address from the president of the 75th UN general assembly, Volkan Bozkır. | Xi Jinping, Jair Bolsonaro, Boris Johnson, Angela Merkel and Jacinda Ardern are among more than a hundred prime ministers and presidents who will address the event. We’ll guide you through proceedings that will begin at 10am EST (3pm BST) with an address from the president of the 75th UN general assembly, Volkan Bozkır. |
| As well as reporting on the discussions and speeches from world leaders, we will bring you expert reaction and analysis from scientists and campaigners. Please post questions in the comment section below or tweet us at @pgreenfielduk or @phoeb0. We’ll try to get to as many of your questions as possible but we can’t promise we’ll answer everyone. | As well as reporting on the discussions and speeches from world leaders, we will bring you expert reaction and analysis from scientists and campaigners. Please post questions in the comment section below or tweet us at @pgreenfielduk or @phoeb0. We’ll try to get to as many of your questions as possible but we can’t promise we’ll answer everyone. |
| Here is the agenda: | Here is the agenda: |
| 10:00-10:50 EST (3pm BST): UN secretary general António Guterres, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, Chinese president Xi Jinping and Prince Charles are among the many dignitaries that will make statements to open the summit. | 10:00-10:50 EST (3pm BST): UN secretary general António Guterres, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, Chinese president Xi Jinping and Prince Charles are among the many dignitaries that will make statements to open the summit. |
| 10:50-13:00 EST (3:50pm BST): World leaders including Emmanuel Macron, Muhammadu Buhari and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will make statements to the assembly. | 10:50-13:00 EST (3:50pm BST): World leaders including Emmanuel Macron, Muhammadu Buhari and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will make statements to the assembly. |
| 15:00-16:15 EST (8pm BST): Leaders dialogue chaired by Angela Merkel and Imran Khan on addressing biodiversity loss and mainstreaming biodiversity for sustainable development. | 15:00-16:15 EST (8pm BST): Leaders dialogue chaired by Angela Merkel and Imran Khan on addressing biodiversity loss and mainstreaming biodiversity for sustainable development. |
| 16:15-17:30 EST (9:15 BST): Swedish deputy prime minister Isabella Lövin will then host a dialogue on harnessing science, technology and innovation for biodiversity with industry heads. | 16:15-17:30 EST (9:15 BST): Swedish deputy prime minister Isabella Lövin will then host a dialogue on harnessing science, technology and innovation for biodiversity with industry heads. |
| 17:30-18:00 EST (10:30pm BST): Closing segment. | 17:30-18:00 EST (10:30pm BST): Closing segment. |
| The international politics of biodiversity are complicated. If you want to know more about what to look out for in today’s summit, please read my explainer. | The international politics of biodiversity are complicated. If you want to know more about what to look out for in today’s summit, please read my explainer. |
| For hundreds of thousands of species threatened by extinction, the stakes of this summit could not be higher. Vast expanses of life-sustaining ecosystems that undermine the fabric of human civilisation are disappearing and this month, the drumbeat of studies and reports highlighting humanity’s destruction of nature is growing louder and louder. Around a million species are at risk of extinction, driven by deforestation, pollution, agriculture and the climate crisis. On average, global populations of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles plunged by 68% between 1970 and 2016, according to ZSL and WWF analysis. | For hundreds of thousands of species threatened by extinction, the stakes of this summit could not be higher. Vast expanses of life-sustaining ecosystems that undermine the fabric of human civilisation are disappearing and this month, the drumbeat of studies and reports highlighting humanity’s destruction of nature is growing louder and louder. Around a million species are at risk of extinction, driven by deforestation, pollution, agriculture and the climate crisis. On average, global populations of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles plunged by 68% between 1970 and 2016, according to ZSL and WWF analysis. |
| We’ll let you know what world leaders plan to do about it throughout the day. | We’ll let you know what world leaders plan to do about it throughout the day. |