YEREVAN, Armenia / AfricaWire.IO / – More than one million species are at the risk of extinction as human activities continue to devastate natural habitats, warned United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday. During his speech at the Leaders’ Summit in Yerevan, Armenia, on October 16, he emphasized the need for swift and decisive global measures to combat environmental decline. The summit took place just before the 17th UN Biodiversity Conference, COP17, hosted by Armenia from October 19 to 30. Guterres highlighted that ongoing destruction jeopardizes the very future of life on Earth.
He urged governments to increase investments in solutions that protect ecosystems and called for greater involvement from businesses and local communities. Guterres identified climate disruption, overgrazing, and the excessive application of fertilisers and pesticides as primary contributors to the triple planetary crisis. He pointed out that pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change are collectively pushing the planet toward becoming uninhabitable, though he stressed that such an outcome is not inevitable.
Four years after the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Guterres noted that progress has been inconsistent and insufficiently rapid. The 2022 agreement aims to conserve 30% of the Earth’s land and sea by 2030. Since then, nearly 90% of signatory parties have set national biodiversity targets, and more than half have developed national road maps. He described the Yerevan gathering as a critical moment for accountability halfway through the process.
$30 spent on harm for every $1 on nature
Guterres drew attention to a stark imbalance in global spending on nature. For every dollar invested in conservation, $30 is allocated to activities that harm the environment. In 2023 alone, $7.3 trillion was invested in industries that negatively impact nature, including heavy industry, destructive agriculture, and fossil fuels. He called on governments to eliminate such subsidies permanently. Additionally, Guterres highlighted the Cali Fund, which encourages companies benefiting from nature to contribute financially.
To meet biodiversity, climate, and land restoration targets, Guterres stated that an annual investment of $571 billion in nature-based solutions is necessary by 2030. This amount is roughly 0.5% of the global gross domestic product. However, Biodiversity financing currently falls below half of the $200 billion annual goal established under the framework. He also pointed out that heavy debt burdens, limited budgets, and an unfair international financial system hinder many developing nations’ ability to invest adequately in nature.
Current commitments only safeguard 26% of land
Existing pledges fall short of achieving the 30% conservation target. If nations fulfill their current commitments, only 26% of terrestrial ecosystems and 12% of marine ecosystems would be protected by 2030. Since 2022, formal protection has expanded by an additional 1.3 million square kilometres of land and 6 million square kilometres of ocean. Guterres urged countries to shift from policies that harm nature to those that promote its preservation.
He called for broader engagement of young people, civil society, women, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities, emphasizing that environmental degradation often hits the most vulnerable populations hardest. He welcomed the Yerevan Declaration’s commitment to integrating biodiversity considerations into policies, budgets, and regulations. Guterres stressed that biodiversity is deeply interconnected with issues like conflict, food security, disease, and climate change. The COP17 negotiations commence in Yerevan on October 19.