Globaler Rettungsschirm zum Schutz der Biodiversität / Campaign for
Nature mobilisiert Koalition privater und staatlicher Geldgeber
Sperrfrist: 28.09.2020 14:00
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New York (ots) - Im Zusammenhang mit dem Biodiversitätsgipfel der Vereinten
Nationen findet heute auf Initiative der Campaign for Nature das erste Nature
Finance Forum (NFF) statt. Erwartet werden wichtige Beiträge von Regierungen,
Unternehmen und Philanthropen zur Mobilisierung von zusätzlichen 700 Milliarden
US-Dollar. Soviel wird laut einer neuen Studie jährlich benötigt, um die
Biodiversitätskrise zu überwinden.

Die Campaign for Nature sieht die ausreichende Finanzierung der CBD Strategie
2030 als eine der größten Herausforderungen auf dem Weg zu einem ambitionierten
und wirksamen Abkommen auf der COP15, wie es vom Weltbiodiversitätsrat (IPBES)
gefordert wird. Insbesondere Länder des globalen Südens machen bei den CBD
Verhandlungen klar, dass es ohne ausreichende Finanzierungszusagen mit ihnen
keinen ambitionierten "New Deal for Nature" geben wird.

"Wir erwarten von diesem ersten Finanzforum für die Natur bedeutende Signale.
Hier muss sich zeigen, dass es nicht nur möglich, sondern für die Zukunft der
Menschheit auch unverzichtbar ist, die notwendigen Gelder für einen globalen
Rettungsschirm zur Bewahrung der Biodiversität aufzubringen. Dazu benötigen wir
eine breite Koalition von Regierungen, Unternehmen und Stiftungen, die dies
erkennt und Verantwortung übernimmt", so Georg Schwede, Europachef der Campaign
for Nature.

Der Exekutiv-Vizepräsident der Europäischen Kommission, Frans Timmermans,
Minister verschiedener Länder, hochrangige Vertreter bedeutender Stiftungen und
Unternehmen sowie Repräsentanten internationaler Organisationen stellen auf dem
NFF ihre konkreten Beiträge und Bemühungen vor, um die ausreichende Finanzierung
eines ambitionierten Abkommens auf der COP15 sicherzustellen.

Der deutsche Entwicklungsminister, Dr. Gerd Müller, betont: "Die Investitionen,
die wir heute tätigen, werden unsere Überlebenschancen bestimmen". In diesem
Zusammenhang bekräftigt er den Willen Deutschlands, die derzeitigen Finanzmittel
zum Schutz der Biodiversität von jährlich 500 Mio. Euro in den nächsten Jahren
zu erhöhen. In seiner Videobotschaft stellt er zudem den Legacy Landscape Fund
(LFF) als ein neues, innovatives Modell zur langfristigen Finanzierung von
Schutzgebieten vor. "Wir gründen diesen Fund mit anderen öffentlichen und
privaten Gebern, der IUCN und internationalen NGOs, um eine langfristige
Finanzierung der wichtigsten Schutzgebiete in den Entwicklungsländern
sicherzustellen und damit wirksam zum Schutz von Biodiversität und natürlichen
Lebensräumen beizutragen", so der Minister.

Frans Timmermans hebt in seiner Botschaft hervor, dass mindestens 30 Prozent der
Erde bis 2030 geschützt werden müssen. Er bezeichnet dieses Ziel als eine
umweltpolitische und ökonomische Notwendigkeit. "Ich rufe alle Regierungen und
Business Leader auf, sich zu verpflichten, mindestens 30 Prozent der Erde bis
2030 zu schützen und ihre Investitionen zum Schutz der Biodiversität deutlich zu
erhöhen", so Timmermans.

HINTERGRUND:

Nature Finance Forum

Das Nature Finance Forum ist Teil des "Global Ambition Day" beim UNDP "Nature
for Life Hub" (https://www.learningfornature.org/en/nature-for-life-hub/) ,
einer viertägigen Veranstaltung im virtuellen Format. Diese läuft vom 24.-29.
September und wird live gestreamt.

Link zur Veranstaltung und stream (keine Zugangsbeschränkung)
https://bit.ly/3kEylT3

700 Mrd US Dollar Studie

Laut einer Studie der internationalen Umweltorganisation TNC (The Nature
Conservancy), dem Paulson Institut und des Cornell Atkinson Center für
Nachhaltigkeit, "Financing Nature: Closing the Global Biodiversity Financing
Gap", sind jährlich zusätzlich US$ 700 Milliarden notwendig, um die
Biodiversitätskrise zu bewältigen. Dies sind mal gerade ein Prozent des globalen
BIP und weniger als wir weltweit für Erfrischungsgetränke ausgeben. Angesichts
der jährlich US$ 125 Trillionen, die wir als Gegenleistungen, wie Vermeidung
zukünftiger Pandemien, Klimaschutz, Erreichung der SDGs, "frei Haus" bekommen
kommen, sind die US$ 700 Milliarden eine Investition mit beispielloser Rendite.

Link zur Studie "Financing Nature: Closing the Global Biodiversity Financing
Gap": https://bit.ly/3kF50Yt

CBD und COP 15

Gegenwärtig laufen die Vorbereitungen zur neuen Biodiversitätsstrategie der
UN-Vertragsstaatenkonferenz (CBD). Diese Strategie soll auf der COP15
verabschiedet werden. Die COP 15 des "Übereinkommens über die biologische
Vielfalt' (CBD) soll voraussichtlich im Herbst 2021 in Kunming, China
stattfinden.

Link zur Konferenz:

https://www.cbd.int/meetings/COP-15

Statements von Teilnehmern des NFF (auf Englisch, Sperrfrist beachten)

Quotes from the Event from Global Leaders:

Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President, European Commission

"I call on all leaders to commit to protecting at least 30 percent of the planet
by 2030. It is a goal that is firmly grounded in scientific evidence. We have
already proposed to apply it for the European Union in our 2030 Biodiversity
Strategy. I also call on all government and business leaders to significantly
step up investments in nature and biodiversity. The 30% target backed up by
strong financial support for nature is at the same time an environmental
imperative and a great opportunity to improve our health and help our economies
transition to a sustainable economy... We have one chance and once chance only
to get it right... It can be done. It should be done."

Zac Goldsmith, Minister of State for Pacific and the Environment, UK

"There is no pathway to net zero emissions without ramping up our efforts to
protect and restore nature on an unprecedented scale. Nature based solutions
could provide around a third of the cost effective solutions we need by 2030 and
yet they attract just three percent of global climate investment. So governments
need to step up. As COP 26 presidents we are making nature a priority. "

"Putting our money where our mouth is, we have doubled our international climate
finance to $11.6 billion. As of part of this increase, we will be increasing our
spend on nature and asking other countries to do similar."

Gerd Müller, German Federal Minister, of Economic Cooperation and Development.

"Developing countries lack financial mechanisms for biodiversity protection.
That is why Germany is investing half 1 billion Euros per year in protecting
biodiversity in developing countries. We will increase our contribution."

"One innovative instrument is the Legacy Landscape Fund. We will launch this
fund with other public and private donors...Through the Fund we will provide
long term finance for the most important protected areas in developing countries
and preserve biodiversity and natural habitats."

Andrea Meza Murillo, Minister of Environment and Energy, Costa Rica.

''The world has a moral and pragmatic imperative to come together in the next
year to agree to a new global agreement for nature with ambitious goals, bold
actions, and increased resources for biodiversity from public and private
financing,''

Sveinung Rotevatn, Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway

"By the biodiversity COP in Kunming and the climate COP in Glasgow next fall,
let us put in place a coalition to end tropical deforestation once and for all.
This will take political will, billions of dollars in annual finance, and
objective standards of performance. It will definitely be worth the effort."

Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity

"Next year will see an ambitious Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to be
agreed at the UN Biodiversity Conference in China. The successful implementation
of the Post-2020 Framework relies on the mobilization of additional resources
and the reduction or redirection of $500 billion USD causing harm to
biodiversity, including negative incentives or subsidies."

Achim Steiner, Administrator, UNDP

"We only need an additional $700 billion annually to achieve our ambitious
biodiversity goals for the year 2030 - that's less than 1% of global GDP and
only a fraction of the $5.2 trillion that we spend on fossil fuel subsidies
every year, even this year."

Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO, Global Environment Facility.

"We need to achieve four crucial goals. Number one, we must mobilize financial
resources from all sources. Second, we must reduce the flow of government and
financial funds into environmentally damaging sectors for the economy. Third,
governments must pave the way for more private investment by changing
regulations, policies, incentives and disincentives. And fourth, we must prove
to governments that preserving the environment is in their own political and
self interest"

Christiana Figueres, Former Executive Secretary, UNFCCC, and Founding Partner,
Global Optimism

''We have to very urgently develop the financial models and the financial
willingness to allow us to protect 30% of our surface including oceans and soils
by 2030, it is a must, we must do it, and we can!''

Quote from Indigenous Leader

Frank Brown, Hereditary Chief Heiltsuk Nation (Bella Bella), Senior Leader for
the Indigenous Leadership Initiative

"In Canada and also in Australia, some of the biggest proposals for protecting
lands are led by Indigenous Peoples. These Indigenous led initiatives are a
model for Canada and a gift to the world. That's why implementing the UN
Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada is crucial to
honoring the country's biodiversity commitments. This is how we ensure our
planet can sustain our future generations. If we take care of the land, the land
will take care of us."

Quotes from Business Leaders

Paul Polman, Co-founder, IMAGINE

"Business for Nature has announced that more than 500 companies with combined
revenue of around $4 trillion including Walmart, Microsoft, Unilever, Mahindra
Group and H&M are urging governments to adopt policies now to reverse nature
loss in this decade."

Mark Engel, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Unilever

"We're going to invest 1 billion euros in a new climate and nature fund. And
over the next 10 years we will put this money into high impact projects and
initiatives such as landscape restoration and wildlife protection so we can help
protect and restore the health of the planet."

Jeremy Darroch, Group Chief Executive, Sky Group

"We launched Sky Ocean Ventures Fund. That's our own investment fund where we
are working with small businesses who are working in the supply chain to develop
the source solutions to single-use plastic that will really help ocean health
over the next coming decades."

Anne-Laurence Roucher, Deputy CEO, Mirova

"We have already financed four transformative land restoration projects that are
able to deliver superior environmental and social benefits on the ground while
also having attractive financial performance potential."

"Our goal is to raise more than $1 billion by 2022, dedicated to nature."

Antoine Sire, Head of Company Engagement, BNP Paribas

"If everybody is working together, we can really find solutions and have a real
financial response to the problem, the very important problem, of coral reefs."

Anthony Waldron, Ecologist, at the University of Cambridge and Lead Author,
Protecting 30% of the Planet for Nature:Costs, Benefits and Economic
Implications
(https://www.conservation.cam.ac.uk/files/waldron_report_30_by_30_publish.pdf)
lead author of the finance
https://www.conservation.cam.ac.uk/files/waldron_report_30_by_30_publish.pdf on
the case for financing biodiversity initiatives

"Our report shows that protection in today's economy brings in more revenue than
the alternatives and likely adds revenue to agriculture and forestry, while
helping prevent climate change, water crises, biodiversity loss and disease.
Increasing nature protection is a sound policy for governments juggling multiple
interests. You cannot put a price tag on nature - but the economic numbers point
to its protection."

Quotes from Philanthropists

Hansjorg Wyss, Chairman, Wyss Foundation

"In 2018, I made a 10-year, $1 billion USD pledge to support locally driven,
place-based conservation projects across the globe. Since then we have worked on
four continents, protecting beauty, protecting biodiversity, protecting
landscapes that were on the threat of disappearing."

Aileen Lee, Chief Program Officer for Environmental Conservation, Gordon and
Betty Moore Foundation

"Multi-party public-private collaboratives that mobilize financing for nature
can unlock greater levels of ambition for conservation and deliver more durable
results for critical ecosystems and the people who depend upon them."

Rob and Melani Walton, Rob and Melani Walton Foundation

"We're joining a German government pilot program, the Legacy Landscapes Fund, to
ensure long-term financial support for the world's most important protected
areas."

Julie Packard, Vice Chairman, David & Lucile Packard Foundation

"The greatest successes result when businesses, governments, and philanthropy
come together to work with local communities. Together we can improve the health
of the ocean, and the people who depend on it."

Pressekontakt:

Dr. Georg Schwede
Representative Europe, Campaign for Nature
mailto:georg@campaignfornature.com
mobil: 0170 5571244

Klaus-Henning Groth
Presse, Campaign for Nature
mailto:klaus-henning@campaignfornature.com
mobil: 0172 449 3366

Weiteres Material: http://presseportal.de/pm/134001/4718547
OTS:               Campaign for Nature