– Check against delivery –
Mister / Madam President,
Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
we share this planet with at least eight million animal, fungi and plant species. Almost all of them could live happily without us humans. But we cannot survive without them. They form the web of life that provides us with food, safe drinking water and clean air, so that we can breathe freely. This web helps us fight the climate crisis, as it serves as a life insurance. However, this safety net is disintegrating: one million species are threatened with extinction.
We humans are the only species that is causing this exctinction. We are also the only species that can stop it. That is why we are here in Montreal – to initiate a trend reversal away from destruction and towards restoration of nature. We want to adopt a new global framework.
Three aspects are important:
Firstly, clear goals and targets. We call for at least 30 percent of the world’s land and oceans to be placed under effective protection by 2030. But there is much more to it. We have to tackle all major causes of biodiversity loss with enough ambition to achieve a real trend reversal. While doing so, it is vital to respect the rights of indigenous and local communities.
Secondly, the global framework must be translated into bold action – national goals, targets and measures that match the urgency of the crisis. Effective implementation is crucial. So far, we have not achieved a single one of our Aichi targets! It is our duty to do things better this time. We need regular monitoring of implementation, and where necessary, ratcheting-up our ambitions.
Thirdly, the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of nature costs money. Germany will provide 1.5 billion euros per year from 2025 at the latest to support biodiversity conservation worldwide. This means we are doubling our funding! I am counting on more donors to follow suit.
Ultimately it is actions that count, not targets or words that only exist on paper. I am therefore very pleased that we are supporting numerous new initiatives at this COP. One of them is particularly important to me: the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership. With this, we support partners who want to implement the framework agreed here in Montreal in a particularly bold way.
It is time to act boldly, and that is what we will do.