Nations seek reset at UN talks as nature goals off track
Most countries pledged four years ago to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030, but governments have been slow to fulfil their commitments.
Nearly 200 nations are meeting in Armenia for crucial talks as governments face pressure to save a key nature accord, with its goals slipping away. Most countries signed up to a historic pledge four years ago to stop and reverse nature destruction by 2030, but action has been slow. The Paris Agreement for Nature, the pact's name, is struggling to meet its targets, including protecting 30% of Earth's land and oceans.
Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned ahead of the formal UN negotiations that the world is not on track. The summit arrives at a challenging time, with strained public finances and political focus on conflicts and a global energy crisis. Only a few world leaders, mainly Central Asian heads of state, attended a preliminary session.
UN chief Antonio Guterres called for more action, speed, and determination at the summit, describing a relentless "war on nature" threatening future generations. A UN report highlighted uneven progress on 23 biodiversity targets but found the effort to close a funding gap falls far short of what's needed. Wealthy nations and emerging economies are being urged to contribute, but private capital may become a key solution.
Encouraging corporations to donate profits to a near-empty UN fund is a priority, as is urging governments to stop subsidizing fossil fuels and other harmful industries. The mountainous nation of Armenia, hosting the summit, stresses that action, not new pledges, will define success.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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