For the first time, the UAE UNFCCC COP28 Presidency and the China Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Presidency have set out a new initiative to galvanize integrated action to reinforce the importance of nature in the global stocktake, which can be leveraged to accelerate ambition in the next round of climate action plans due in 2025.

A new ‘Joint Statement’ on Saturday brings together countries, including Brazil, Germany and Canada, Britain, and the US, in recognition that urgent action is required to deliver on the goals of both the Paris Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework.

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The ‘Joint Statement on Climate, Nature and People’, launching during Nature, Land-Use and Ocean Day at UNFCCC COP28, signifies a resounding call for accelerated implementation of climate and nature action.

It solidifies the commitment of endorsing nations to enhance both domestic and international collaboration, through shared objectives including: Fostering alignment of countries’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs), national adaptation plans (NAPs), and national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs) as countries develop new ones towards COP30 and CBD COP16; scaling up finance and investments for climate and nature from all sources; and ensuring the equitable representation and participation of indigenous peoples as right holders. Commenting on the announcement, Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, CBD Action Agenda Champion for Nature and People, said: “I welcome the announcement of the COP28 Joint Statement on Climate, Nature and People.

“By bringing together government partnerships and coalitions to coordinate integrated action on climate, biodiversity and land, the initiative has the potential to be a watershed moment in our approach to environmental challenges.

“I encourage all governments to endorse the statement while accelerating the uptake of nature-based solutions which can deliver multiple goals. We now need to see COP28 do more to bring together action on climate and nature toward the establishment of a dedicated climate-nature work stream.”

Climate change is already affecting people, biodiversity and natural ecosystems around the world, with further disastrous impacts predicted with increasing warming, says IPCC.

As the Global Stocktake negotiations enter the final few days at the underway at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, Nature, Land-Use, and Ocean Day emerges as a critical moment to foster meaningful discussions on the integrated actions required to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030, alongside the phase-out of fossil fuels.