YEREVAN, Armenia / AfricaWire.IO / – More than one million species are at risk of extinction as human activities continue to devastate the natural world, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned on Friday. He emphasized this warning during his speech at the Leaders’ Summit in Yerevan, Armenia, on October 16, where he called for swift and decisive global measures to combat environmental decline. This summit served as a prelude to the upcoming 17th UN Biodiversity Conference, COP17, hosted by Armenia from October 19 to 30. Guterres highlighted that such destruction jeopardizes the future sustainability of life on Earth.
The Secretary-General urged governments to increase investments in solutions that protect ecosystems and called for enhanced engagement from the private sector and local communities. He identified climate change, overgrazing, and the excessive application of fertilizers and pesticides as primary contributors to the triple planetary crisis. Guterres warned that pollution, declining biodiversity, and climate change are collectively pushing the planet toward becoming uninhabitable, but stressed that this outcome is not inevitable.
Four years after nations agreed on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Guterres pointed out that progress has been inconsistent and too sluggish. The 2022 agreement aimed to conserve 30% of the planet’s land and sea by 2030. Since then, nearly 90% of signatory countries have adopted national biodiversity targets, with over half developing national road maps. He described the Yerevan meeting as a crucial moment for accountability at the halfway point of the framework’s implementation.
$30 spent on harm for every $1 on nature
Guterres highlighted a stark imbalance in global spending on nature. For every dollar invested in protecting the environment, $30 are directed toward activities that cause damage. In 2023 alone, a staggering $7.3 trillion was invested in industries harmful to nature, including heavy industry, destructive agriculture, and fossil fuels. He called on governments to eliminate such subsidies permanently. Additionally, Guterres pointed to the Cali Fund, which encourages companies benefiting from nature to contribute financially.
He emphasized that achieving biodiversity, climate, and land restoration goals will require an annual investment of $571 billion in nature-based solutions by 2030, roughly 0.5% of global gross domestic product. However, biodiversity financing currently remains below half of the $200 billion yearly target established under the framework. Guterres noted that heavy debt burdens, constrained budgets, and an unjust international financial system hinder developing countries from investing adequately in nature.
Existing commitments cover only 26% of land
Current pledges fall short of the 30% conservation goal. If all nations fulfill their existing commitments, only 26% of terrestrial ecosystems and 12% of marine ecosystems would be protected by 2030. Since 2022, formal protections have expanded to include an additional 1.3 million square kilometres of land and 6 million square kilometres of ocean. Guterres urged nations to shift from policies that harm nature to those that support its preservation.
The Secretary-General called for broader involvement of young people, civil society, women, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities, emphasizing that environmental degradation most severely impacts the most vulnerable groups. He welcomed the Yerevan Declaration’s commitment to incorporate biodiversity considerations into policies, budgets, and regulations. Guterres concluded by stating that biodiversity cannot be viewed separately from issues like conflict, food insecurity, disease, or climate change. The COP17 negotiations are set to commence in Yerevan on October 19.