Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

[ ] 3 25 years of success The remote peninsula of Huon in Papua New Guinea is only accessible by foot or by air. The indigenous community there owns the local forests and manages the community conservation area, the first of its kind in the country. The local community has led a number of efforts to provide sustainable livelihoods, and to protect the region’s rich habitats. They partner with the private sector, business and the government on livelihood projects. Farmers have substantially increased incomes, and they’ve protected numerous species including the Matschie kangaroo. Examples like this are a testament to the success of 25 years of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Convention on Biological Diversity has been a landmark in our efforts to protect nature. We now have better science to guide us in our conservation efforts. We can now ensure that everyone benefits from the gifts of the planet, especially those people that depend on them the most. We now have numerous national biodiversity strategies and action plans to protect our biodiversity. And perhaps the biggest achievement of the Convention on Biological Diversity is that we no longer see biodiversity conservation as a barrier to development. We can have development, and take care of planet Earth, with the same policies. The Global Development Agenda aims to leave no one behind, to bring everyone out of extreme poverty. But if we don’t protect and value biodiversity, we will not achieve this goal. UN Environment has been so proud to support this Convention over the years. Warmest of congratulations to all people that made this Convention such a success — thank you for all of your efforts. And we will be with you for the next steps in Sharm-el-Sheikh this year, and leading up to making the Beijing conference in 2020 an astonishing success. The efforts of the Convention are absolutely critical to making sure that both people and planet live in harmony, and thrive in the centuries to come. Congratulations again on 25 years. Erik Solheim UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Environment