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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/environment/live/2020/sep/30/xi-jinping-to-address-world-leaders-at-un-biodiversity-summit-live-updates-aoe
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| Jair Bolsonaro attacks 'international greed' over Brazil's rainforests – live | Jair Bolsonaro attacks 'international greed' over Brazil's rainforests – live |
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| Indigenous rights, the need for green Covid recovery plans and a Marshall plan for nature raised by leaders in summit’s opening remarks | Indigenous rights, the need for green Covid recovery plans and a Marshall plan for nature raised by leaders in summit’s opening remarks |
| We are going to take a short break now before the next leaders’ dialogue. It will be chaired by Angela Merkel and Imran Khan on addressing biodiversity loss and mainstreaming biodiversity for sustainable development. | |
| That will begin at 3pm in New York and 8pm UK time. | That will begin at 3pm in New York and 8pm UK time. |
| Prime minister Boris Johnson’s pledge to protect 30% of land in the UK by 2030 has been cautiously welcomed by conservationists. But they warn that targets need to be legally binding to avoid the creation of “paper parks” that fail to safeguard nature in practice. | Prime minister Boris Johnson’s pledge to protect 30% of land in the UK by 2030 has been cautiously welcomed by conservationists. But they warn that targets need to be legally binding to avoid the creation of “paper parks” that fail to safeguard nature in practice. |
| Johnson announced at a virtual UN event on Monday that an additional 400,000 hectares of land in England would be protected for nature, with the promise of “ambitious goals and binding targets”. | Johnson announced at a virtual UN event on Monday that an additional 400,000 hectares of land in England would be protected for nature, with the promise of “ambitious goals and binding targets”. |
| Johnson joined 64 leaders from around the world to make pledges to tackle catastrophic nature lost ahead of today’s summit. The announcement was very welcome but the government overestimates how much land is effectively protected, said Craig Bennett, chief executive of the Wildlife Trusts. Many of the country’s designated wildlife areas are in poor condition and do not support the wildlife they are meant to provide refuge for. | Johnson joined 64 leaders from around the world to make pledges to tackle catastrophic nature lost ahead of today’s summit. The announcement was very welcome but the government overestimates how much land is effectively protected, said Craig Bennett, chief executive of the Wildlife Trusts. Many of the country’s designated wildlife areas are in poor condition and do not support the wildlife they are meant to provide refuge for. |
| Bennett said: | Bennett said: |
| In England, 26% of land is protected, but an estimated 5% is being well managed for nature. This existing land needs to be much better protected for the prime minster to deliver on this pledge. “Instead of creating more pointless ‘paper parks,’ the prime minister needs to lay out concrete plans and binding legal targets to halt and begin to reverse the decline of nature on land and at sea by 2030,” said John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace. | In England, 26% of land is protected, but an estimated 5% is being well managed for nature. This existing land needs to be much better protected for the prime minster to deliver on this pledge. “Instead of creating more pointless ‘paper parks,’ the prime minister needs to lay out concrete plans and binding legal targets to halt and begin to reverse the decline of nature on land and at sea by 2030,” said John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace. |
| The announcement comes after analysis by RSPB found the UK failed to reach 17 out of 20 UN biodiversity targets, because pledges were not matched by action on the ground, resulting in a “lost decade for nature”. | The announcement comes after analysis by RSPB found the UK failed to reach 17 out of 20 UN biodiversity targets, because pledges were not matched by action on the ground, resulting in a “lost decade for nature”. |
| We risk another decade of failure unless biodiversity pledges are put into domestic law like Paris climate agreements, said Martin Harper, director of global conservation at the RSPB. “If then properly backed by a reformed systems of farm payments and new dedicated resources for habitat restoration, which would allow places like our national parks to become an engine for nature’s recovery, we’ll then have a fighting chance to revive our world,” he said. | We risk another decade of failure unless biodiversity pledges are put into domestic law like Paris climate agreements, said Martin Harper, director of global conservation at the RSPB. “If then properly backed by a reformed systems of farm payments and new dedicated resources for habitat restoration, which would allow places like our national parks to become an engine for nature’s recovery, we’ll then have a fighting chance to revive our world,” he said. |
| A 2019 State of Nature report found one in ten UK species is threatened with extinction, with 41% of species in decline. Caroline Lucas, MP for the Green Party, said it was not enough to “talk about protecting nature on the one hand then undermine that action on the other”. | A 2019 State of Nature report found one in ten UK species is threatened with extinction, with 41% of species in decline. Caroline Lucas, MP for the Green Party, said it was not enough to “talk about protecting nature on the one hand then undermine that action on the other”. |
| President Jair Bolsonaro has also been hitting back at Democratic candidate Joe Biden about the comments he made about the Amazon in last night’s debate. | President Jair Bolsonaro has also been hitting back at Democratic candidate Joe Biden about the comments he made about the Amazon in last night’s debate. |
| Boris Johnson has been addressing the summit. | Boris Johnson has been addressing the summit. |
| The platitudes are over. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro delivered a robust message to the summit: We will continue to take advantage of our environmental wealth. Taking aim at NGOs and foreign governments “interfering” with Brazil’s sovereignty, he rejected “international greed” towards the Amazon rainforest. | The platitudes are over. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro delivered a robust message to the summit: We will continue to take advantage of our environmental wealth. Taking aim at NGOs and foreign governments “interfering” with Brazil’s sovereignty, he rejected “international greed” towards the Amazon rainforest. |
| Dismissing “unfair” international rules, Bolsonaro said states have “rights to use their natural resources.” | Dismissing “unfair” international rules, Bolsonaro said states have “rights to use their natural resources.” |
| “That’s precisely what we intend to do with the huge wealth of resources in the Brazilian territory,” he said. | “That’s precisely what we intend to do with the huge wealth of resources in the Brazilian territory,” he said. |
| The Brazilian leader finished by reminding the summit of the three pillars of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity: conservation, the sustainable use of resources and benefit sharing. | The Brazilian leader finished by reminding the summit of the three pillars of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity: conservation, the sustainable use of resources and benefit sharing. |
| Dr Alexander Lees a senior lecturer in conservation biology at Manchester Metropolitan University has reacted to the statement from the Polish president: | Dr Alexander Lees a senior lecturer in conservation biology at Manchester Metropolitan University has reacted to the statement from the Polish president: |
| Bolivian president Jeanine Áñez tells the summit that current economic development models have led to unprecedented changes to the planet, including the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. She says Bolivia is among the most biodiverse countries in the world, listing the amphibians, mammals and flora that are endemic to the South American country. Áñez finishes by reconfirming her country’s commitment to multilateralism to combatting biodiversity loss. | Bolivian president Jeanine Áñez tells the summit that current economic development models have led to unprecedented changes to the planet, including the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. She says Bolivia is among the most biodiverse countries in the world, listing the amphibians, mammals and flora that are endemic to the South American country. Áñez finishes by reconfirming her country’s commitment to multilateralism to combatting biodiversity loss. |
| Please refresh the blog from time to time. We are updating and tweaking posts as we go. | Please refresh the blog from time to time. We are updating and tweaking posts as we go. |
| The meeting has technically adjourned for two hours but due to the quantity of world leaders that want to make a statement, the pre-recorded videos have continued. | The meeting has technically adjourned for two hours but due to the quantity of world leaders that want to make a statement, the pre-recorded videos have continued. |
| We will bring you the most important news lines from speakers and analysis on what has been said so far. | We will bring you the most important news lines from speakers and analysis on what has been said so far. |
| The summit makes it clear conserving biodiversity improves human well-being. While this may be true on a macro scale, conservation can have real local costs and the tradeoffs are far from simple, says Prof Julia P G Jones, a conservation scientist from Bangor University in Wales. She says: | The summit makes it clear conserving biodiversity improves human well-being. While this may be true on a macro scale, conservation can have real local costs and the tradeoffs are far from simple, says Prof Julia P G Jones, a conservation scientist from Bangor University in Wales. She says: |
| Those involved in the talks are aware of the challenges faced by countries trying to reconcile conservation and development. Jones argues that these challenges should be more explicitly acknowledged. “This would help the global conservation community move forward more positively post-2020,” she adds. | Those involved in the talks are aware of the challenges faced by countries trying to reconcile conservation and development. Jones argues that these challenges should be more explicitly acknowledged. “This would help the global conservation community move forward more positively post-2020,” she adds. |
| The pre-recorded statements from world leaders on nature to the summit have continued. | The pre-recorded statements from world leaders on nature to the summit have continued. |
| South African president Cyril Ramaphosa says the consumption of wild species and habitat loss are driving pandemics and biodiversity loss. He highlights the “complete interdependence between economic activity and human development. He calls for a change in consumption patterns and land management strategies, implementing sustainable and climate-friendly practises. | South African president Cyril Ramaphosa says the consumption of wild species and habitat loss are driving pandemics and biodiversity loss. He highlights the “complete interdependence between economic activity and human development. He calls for a change in consumption patterns and land management strategies, implementing sustainable and climate-friendly practises. |
| Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta says 2020 has given humanity a chance to get back on track with its relationship with nature. Kenya is one of a small number of mega-biodiverse countries, he says, and must make sure it is protected. | Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta says 2020 has given humanity a chance to get back on track with its relationship with nature. Kenya is one of a small number of mega-biodiverse countries, he says, and must make sure it is protected. |
| Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari refelects on the flora and fauna that are facing extinction in his country. | Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari refelects on the flora and fauna that are facing extinction in his country. |
| Brazilian foreign minister Ernesto Araújo – who has previously dismissed the climate crisis as a Marxist plot – had been listed to represent his country in the place of president Jair Bolsonaro but the South American leader will now speak. Governments will listen to what the Brazilian leader has to say with great interest as his stance on the environment could have a major sway over the final Kunming agreement. | Brazilian foreign minister Ernesto Araújo – who has previously dismissed the climate crisis as a Marxist plot – had been listed to represent his country in the place of president Jair Bolsonaro but the South American leader will now speak. Governments will listen to what the Brazilian leader has to say with great interest as his stance on the environment could have a major sway over the final Kunming agreement. |
| Brazil has traditionally been a major player in UN environmental circles through its impressive diplomatic machine. But under Bolsonaro, the Amazon rainforest continues to burn and many fear Brazil’s leader is steering his country towards environmental ruin. | Brazil has traditionally been a major player in UN environmental circles through its impressive diplomatic machine. But under Bolsonaro, the Amazon rainforest continues to burn and many fear Brazil’s leader is steering his country towards environmental ruin. |
| Last week the president hit back at the UN general assembly for a second year in a row about how the Amazon has been treated under his leadership, claiming Brazil was the target of a “brutal disinformation campaign”. | Last week the president hit back at the UN general assembly for a second year in a row about how the Amazon has been treated under his leadership, claiming Brazil was the target of a “brutal disinformation campaign”. |