Birds of a Feather

HUMAN 'MURMURATION' URGES LEADERS TO ACT TOGETHER DURING COP 15

On 7th December 2022, after a two year delay, representatives from nearly every country in the world will gather in Montreal for the United Nations' COP15 summit to tackle the world's biodiversity crisis and its outcome is more important than ever. Whilst COP27 is over, it's impact will be felt for decades to come. That meeting was seen as really disappointing, due to a lack of commitment to phase down all fossil fuels, which puts the 1.5 degree warming target into jeopardy, although the last-minute deal to create a 'loss and damage' fund was cause for some celebration, especially for those climate vulnerable countries who been demanding this outcome for 30 years! Whilst this made the headlines, discussions also high-lighted nature's pivotal role in tackling the climate crisis, with much attention paid to the need for creating innovative ways of supporting nature.

A SUMMARY: 'Nature-based solutions' were included in the COP 27 text for the first time with forests, oceans and agriculture each having their own section and the need for high-tech solutions for nature and climate challenges were a constant refrain. The Amazon was spotlighted due to the presence of Brazil's new president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who promised to prioritise stopping deforestation and offered to host COP30 there in three years' time. (Also, an announcement by Brazil, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic - made in Indonesia ahead of the G20 - signalled their intentions to work together to protect their vast swathes of tropical forests). Unfortunately though, whilst the focus on nature didn't translate through to the final agreement documents in Egypt, the fundamental role of the oceans in the climate system was recognised and reinforced. The Mangrove Breakthrough was launched to protect 15 million hectares of mangrove globally by 2030, the 'High Quality Blue Carbon Principles and Guidance' was issued by a global coalition of ocean leaders, and the Egyptian presidency, Germany and IUCN launched the ENACT initiative (Enhancing Nature-based Solutions for an Accelerated Climate Tranformation).

Now the count-down is on for the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15), taking place from 7th- 19th December 2022 in Montreal, Canada, following a two-year postponement due to COVID-19. Its' primary aim is of agreeing on a treaty for nature, that will ultimately bring an end to nature degradation and shift the world into a new era of widespread nature restoration. One of the key targets is a commitment to protect at least 30% of land and water around the globe by 2030 and more than 100 countries have joined a coalition in support of this "30 by 30" goal. But as world leaders haven't been invited, there are fears that the summit won't be treated with the importance that it deserves. Wildlife organisations including the RSPB, the Woodland Trust, Wildlife Trusts and Plantlife have set out a campaign called 'Urgent Conversation', which includes a petition asking Rishi Sunak to attend the conference and "secure the strong global deal required to end the nature crisis". With over 1 million species threatened with extinction, they say the nature deal must set out goals to prevent extinctions and restore habitats that will result in halting and reversing biodiversity decline by 2030, as well as protecting 30% of land and sea. You can join the petition HERE.

Meanwhile the RSPB have joined up with choreographer Sadeck Waff and 80 students from Bird College to perform a 'human murmuration.' "The beauty birds create when moving as one serving as an inspirational metaphor for world leaders working together to produce a global plan to save nature at COP15."