Ministers and high-level state representatives from six countries discussed today barriers and opportunities for enhancing political leadership and implementation of at-scale nature-based solutions ahead of the conclusion of the first Global Stocktake (GST) at COP28. Led by the Government of Colombia and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, with the support of the High-level Climate Champions and the Nature4Climate Coalition. The meeting addressed the need for synergistic and integrated action on nature and climate, following the recent adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and COP28 Presidency priorities agenda for Nature, Land Use and Oceans.
Nature-based solutions and/or ecosystem-based approaches, as referenced in the decision text of the COP27 Implementation Plan, are "critical to deliver adaptation to climate change and mitigation and are central to enhancing international cooperation for climate action". However, the implementation and financing of these solutions are severely delayed, reducing the opportunity to accelerate the delivery of global targets, such as the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
Colombian Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad, said: The GST provides a critical moment to recognize the importance of just and inclusive means of implementation, and address the significant finance gap for nature-based solutions and/or ecosystem-based approaches. In particular, the involvement and respect for the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities is critical, in addition to the urgent need to align financial flows to enable the transformations required to deliver the Paris Agreement goals.
State Secretary Stefan Tidow, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), said: "The importance of nature and nature-based solutions needs to be recognised as a cross-cutting issue at COP 28 and should be expressed in the Global Stocktake. The first Global Stocktake in particular offers a unique opportunity. I am hoping for a GST decision with clear recommendations for action, including on nature, which in turn will form the basis for the upcoming NDCs. To be more specific: I hope for a clear commitment to the protection and restoration of ecosystems, including the large-scale implementation of nature-based solutions."
H.E Razan Al Mubarak, COP28 High-level Climate Champion, said: "As a High-level Climate Champion, I'm deeply committed to integrating regional insights on locally-responsive nature-based solutions for climate action into national nature and climate strategies. Our mission is unequivocal: we aim to rapidly transition to low-emission and resilient economies which function in harmony with biodiversity. Nature-based solutions and ecosystem approaches are not mere alternatives, but fundamental tools for this transition. It is critical to recognise the role they play in the outcome of the first global stocktake to enable an adequate response and ensuing action from the global community. Leveraging the power of nature is necessary to deliver a resilient and sustainable future but also offers a golden opportunity to truly meet the needs of our local communities."
James Lloyd, Nature4Climate Coalition Lead, said: “At this COP, we are stressing the importance of implementation to secure a nature-positive future for all. The NbS Implementation Dialogues have sent a clear signal from across the regions that we urgently need to address social, political, economic and technology barriers, such as capacity building, integrated planning and financing for nature, to accelerate delivery and move from words into action. We hope that this inclusive and collaborative approach can influence the details of the Global Stocktake outcomes, finally recognising that making climate and nature action integral to our economies and lives is critical."
The roundtable, that took place on December 4th, concluded the Nature-based solutions Implementation Dialogues held at the UNFCCC Regional Climate weeks in Latin America, Africa, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Asia-Pacific, where participants identified priority areas and constraints to accelerate the implementation of landscape-scale nature-based solutions and/or ecosystem-based approaches.
This year’s COP28 marks the conclusion of the first GST, providing the ultimate opportunity to inform Parties updating their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to include clear recommendations needed to facilitate cooperation and systemic transformation, including positioning nature and biodiversity as integral for climate action and overall connectivity with other national key strategies such as the UNFCCC’s National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and the CBD’s National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).
The participants of the roundtable will present an open letter addressed to the COP Presidency and the negotiators. It will emphasise the crucial role of nature and biodiversity as a solution to the climate crisis and highlight the importance of the Global Stocktake (GST) as a milestone in the implementation of the Paris Agreement.