29 September 2020 - Boris Johnson commits to protect 30% of UK land in boost for biodiversity
Boris Johnson promises to protect 30% of UK's land by 2030
(BBC, 28/09/2020)
An extra 400,000 hectares of English countryside will be protected to support the recovery of nature under plans announced by Boris Johnson.
The prime minister made the commitment at a virtual United Nations event.
He joined a global pledge from 65 leaders to reverse losses in the natural world by the same date.
The PM has a glorious chance to restore our green and pleasant land
William Hague (The Telegraph, 28/09/2020)
In the midst of today’s global crisis, it would be easy to despair. Despite mounting evidence that the destruction of nature caused by deforestation and a booming trade in wild animals would result in new zoonotic diseases such as Covid-19, people nonetheless continued with such vandalism. Just as bad, the most striking aspect of the response to the resulting crisis is the absence of cooperation between nations.
Canada, Britain, EU pledge to protect 30% of land, sea by 2030 to stop 'catastrophic' biodiversity loss
(CBC News, 28/09/2020)
Britain and Canada on Monday joined the European Union in pledging to protect 30 per cent of their land and seas by 2030 to stem "catastrophic" biodiversity loss and help galvanize support for broader agreement on the target ahead of a United Nations summit.
With the twin crises of climate change and wildlife loss accelerating, leaders are trying to build momentum ahead of the UN meeting in Kunming, China, in May, where nearly 200 countries will negotiate a new agreement on protecting nature.
"We must act now: right now," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. "We cannot afford dither and delay because biodiversity loss is happening today and it is happening at a frightening rate. Left unchecked, the consequences will be catastrophic for us all.
Australia joins US, China and Russia in refusing to sign leaders' pledge on biodiversity
Lisa Cox (The Guardian, 28/09/2020)
The Morrison government has said it refused to sign a global pledge endorsed by 64 countries committing them to reverse biodiversity loss because it was inconsistent with Australia’s policies.
Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, Justin Trudeau, Jacinda Ardern and Boris Johnson are among world leaders who signed the Leaders’ pledge for nature which was launched on Monday ahead of a major UN summit on biodiversity being hosted virtually from New York. The summit is working towards a Paris-style global agreement on nature.
The federal government was invited to sign but refused because the 10-point plan calls for commitments that are inconsistent with Australian policy – including a greater ambition to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and reach net zero emissions by 2050.