The Green Party welcomes an historic new global agreement to protect 30% of the planet for nature by the end of the decade and calls on the Government to follow it with immediate action to protect native wildlife.
The agreement at the COP15 UN biodiversity summit in Montreal, Canada, came overnight New Zealand time and includes targets for protecting vital ecosystems such as rainforests and wetlands. The final text also recognises Indigenous Peoplesโ work, knowledge and practices as the most effective tool for biodiversity protection.
โThis is an important moment for nature and must be followed with immediate action to protect our forests, rivers and oceans for future generations,” says the Green Partyโs co-leader, James Shaw.
โThe new agreement comes as biodiversity is declining worldwide at rates never seen before – and while it marks a turning point for nature, it is only the beginning of the work that needs to be done.
โExactly as it is with the climate, the agreement will only ever be as good as its implementation – and this new agreement has left the most crucial work for nature protection as homework for governments.
โEven though more than 30% of our land in Aotearoa is protected as part of the conservation estate, nearly 4,000 native plants and animals are at risk of extinction. When it comes to the oceans, less than one percent is under any sort of protection.
โThe need for urgent action is as clear as it has ever been and it is time to step up,โ says James Shaw.
The Green Partyโs conservation spokesperson, Eugenie Sage added:
โThere are multiple causes of biodiversity loss. On land, the biggest driver is agriculture. In the ocean, itโs overfishing. Mining, climate change, nutrient and sediment pollution, and invasive species also play a role.
โHere in Aotearoa we can use this global moment to do better and put nature at the forefront of every government decision.
โUnder the new agreement, governments will be required to show progress with national biodiversity plans, similar to the way countries use Nationally Determined Contributions in the Paris climate agreement.
โThe Green Party expects New Zealandโs contribution to include a central role for Mฤori-led conservation practices. Indigenous peoples are critical to nature protection and we were delighted to see this recognised in the final agreement.
โThe new global agreement has been a long time coming, taking more than four years of negotiations, but we know it is just the start. The best way to put our degraded nature on a path to recovery is to make sure the Greens have more influence on the Government after the next election,โ says Eugenie Sage.