Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

[ ] 27 These meetings come at a crucial time. We need to take stock of the status of the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets. We need to chart the course for the road ahead for the Convention and its Protocols for the remaining years of the current Strategic Plans and set the stage for the development of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The last 25 years of action under the Convention on Biological Diversity have resulted in a global network of protected areas, new protocols to protect biodiversity and share the benefits from the use of genetic resources, and a host of programmes and initiatives that have made a difference for life on Earth. The next 25 years will be crucial for life on Earth and for human wellbeing. Humanity will need to chart a course of action that leads to a future of living in harmony with nature. Bold efforts from all stakeholders are promptly needed to act collaboratively to sustainably manage all of our natural resources. The Convention on Biological Diversity provides the forum and basis for this consensus. Dr. Yasmine Fouad Minister of Environment, Arab Republic of Egypt