High-level event for Nature and People: From Ambition to Action

On the side-lines of the High-level week of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC N&P), the Global Ocean Alliance (GOA), and the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature (LPN) united once more to convene a high-level event to demonstrate transformational actions to tackle biodiversity loss.

Background

The world is faced with a planetary emergency caused by interdependent crises including biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, increasing emergence and threats presented by pandemics of zoonotic origin, food insecurity and debt crises. The stakes could not be higher to secure continuity of all life on earth, and the current decade is decisive. In view of this urgency, a commitment to continued ambition and accelerated action at the highest level will be key to our success in reversing biodiversity loss and achieving a nature positive world by 2030. Without this, it will be impossible to achieve the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Over the past five years, leaders have recognised how fundamental nature is to livelihoods, the economy, and tackling other environmental crises, and have accordingly prioritized nature at the highest level. This has resulted in a number of recent crucial environmental decisions including the historic Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and an international legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), both of which recognise the rights and crucial role of Indigenous Peoples in successful and sustainable implementation efforts. These decisions mark a crucial need to shift our global focus from raising ambition on tackling biodiversity loss, to actually delivering on our ambition; doing so will mean accelerating both financing and implementation on the ground.

Event goal

Demonstrate momentum at the highest level in rapidly translating ambition to halt and reverse biodiversity loss into tangible and impactful actions. The event presented an opportunity for a number of ambitious countries and non-state actors to showcase domestic and international actions, both on land and in the ocean, to ensure successful implementation of biodiversity agreements, including the GBF and BBNJ.

Announcements to be showcased and threshold for participation

Building on the success and participation of past events at previous LPN/HAC for N&P/GOA UNGA side events, participation was prioritized for governments and non-state actors who can commit to swift signature, ratification and implementation of the BBNJ Agreement and/or showcase specific, concrete, meaningful and transformational actions to implement the goals and targets of the GBF. As with previous years, event organizers were keen to focus on actions to implement the objectives of the LPN, HAC for N&P and GOA, in particular around increasing resource mobilization from all sources and repurposing current harmful incentives (including subsidies), and conserving and protecting at least 30% of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030. Participation was sought from heads of state or government, or ministers of foreign affairs, finance and economy or environment, and leaders of international organizations, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, youth, businesses and key sectors, whilst also prioritizing the quality, ambition, and concreteness of the actions announced and highlighted.

Organizers

The event was organised by the HAC N&P, LPN and GOA, and was co-hosted by a cross regional group of countries including Bhutan, Colombia, Costa Rica, European Union, France, Nigeria, United Kingdom, United States of America, as well as their partners: Bloomberg Philanthropies Ocean Initiative, BirdLife International, Campaign for Nature, Club of Rome, Conservation International, Nature for Life hub, Nature Positive Initiative, The Nature Conservancy, The Pew Charitable Trusts, UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and others.

Format and attendance: invitation only and live-streamed

This was a short interactive, high level VVIP invitation only event in person in New York, live-streamed for a larger audience on multiple channels. Given space and security restrictions a limited number of people were able to attend the event, and priority was given to a wide and representative audience at the highest level, with governments from all regions, stakeholders and rights holders from across society.

Contact:

Participants interested in attending this event or participating to showcase significant, concrete and ambitious actions sent their requests to HLevent4NaturePeopleSep2023@gmail.com.