Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

[ ] 23 Mexico is determined to promote sustainable economic growth that ensures the preservation of ecosystems for future generations. This requires political will, technical innovation and decisive action, but also close international cooperation. For decades, economic activity that did not take full account of its environmental impact has been the cause of complex problems, such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, progress in desertification, pollution of the seas and exponential growth of solid and dangerous waste. The wellbeing of humanity and the evolution of economies and society depend upon the responsible management of our environment. Recognizing that the world’s natural resources are limited will prevent humanity from crossing ecological barriers and thresholds that could undermine or even reverse the achievements of development. To address environmental challenges we must strengthen national and multilateral legal and institutional frameworks for the conservation of our natural wealth and ensure the right of our communities to a healthy ecosystem. Mexico held the 2016 United Nations Conference on Biodiversity, convinced of the importance of safeguarding the world’s natural wealth, but equally sure that protection and conservation can contribute to the development of communities and help us combat poverty and social inequality. To this summit, we invited Ministers of Environment, as well as those responsible for issues of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism. I recognize all of them for the adoption of the Cancun Declaration on mainstreaming for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for wellbeing. This document will allow the productive sectors of each country to incorporate biodiversity and allow protection criteria in their decision-making. Achieving greater wellbeing for humanity depends on our collective capacity to realize concrete objectives in terms of conservation, sustainable management and restoration of natural ecosystems. Mexico has a strong commitment to the international community to protect natural wealth, increase its value and ensure a better quality of life for our children. Enrique Peña Nieto President of the United States of Mexico (2012–2018)