The humanity is causing a catastrophic loss of species and exacerbating already dangerous levels of climate change. Over the past two decades, the number of endangered species and the rate of ecosystem degradation have increased dramatically across all regions. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) noted that approximately 1 million plants and animal species are now at risk of extinction. Climate change is adding to and worsening the impact of biodiversity losses. Together climate change and biodiversity losses threaten the viability of crucial ecosystems in many regions of the world. The main drivers threatening biodiversity and our life support systems are: (1) changes in land and sea use including through the expansion of agriculture; (2) direct exploitation of living creatures, such as overfishing; (3) climate change; (4) pollution and (5) invasive alien species. These are underpinned by more indirect drivers, such as increasing consumption and, critically, issues of governance and accountability. We rely on nature, half of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) depends on nature, and yet we are destroying and degrading natural systems at a rate much faster than they can replenish themselves. Nature is in crisis. The future of humanity depends on action now.” The COVID19 pandemic has highlighted the need for governments and the international community to focus more on health, environment, climate, land degradation and human security issues.
The current position paper is a consolidated document of several scientific works performed by African Network of Young leaders for Peace and Sustainable development and its platform including some relevant studies. It is enriched by children, youth and civil society organizations that have been involved during the regional Leading the Change Regional Webinar entitled African Youth and Civil Society Green growth Hub: From the pandemic to Agenda 2030, Mobilized for Change. And the subsequent working session and activities organized by ANYL4PSD from September 28 to October 03, 2020 with the support of Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF). As part of the New Deal for Nature and People Coalition led by African Network of Young Leaders for Peace and Sustainable Development (ANYL4PSD), African Youth and Civil Society organizations as well as others youth organizations situated in others continents and belonging to the platform welcome the Draft of the post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. African Youth and Civil Society strongly support the structure of five high levels 2030-2050 Goals, consistent with the three objectives of the Convention and its definition of biodiversity and the theory of change as presented should be strengthened. Youth and Civil Society believe that
o The framework must be a comprehensive and transformational package that clearly articulates both (1) where we need to be (mission, goals, targets) to halt and start to reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2030 and (2) how to ensure that we get there (implementation):
- The plan must aspire to halt and start to reverse the loss of biodiversity, putting nature on the path to recovery by 2030, transitioning to a nature-positive world. This is ambitious, but necessary and doable if we want to stand a chance of achieving the CBD vision of living in harmony with nature by 2050.
- The goals must focus on the key outcomes that need to be achieved by 2030, including goals to: halt habitat loss and restore natural habitats and ecosystems – protecting at least 30% and sustainably managing the rest, stop human-induced species extinctions, halve the footprint of our production and consumption, and ensure that nature’s benefits to people are secured and shared fairly and equitably – applying a human rights-based approach and respecting the special role and relationship to nature held by Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
- 2030 action targets must transform the sectors that drive biodiversity loss towards sustainable practices: Agriculture and food systems; forestry; fisheries; infrastructure; mining and extractives; other sectors with significant use of natural resources; the financial sector. For example, in order to avoid further negative impacts to biodiversity, public and private financial flows must be aligned with a mission to halt and start to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
- The ambitious global goals and targets need to be backed up by ambition to implement. Therefore there must be a regular cycle of transparent check-backs and reviews – requiring countries to ratchet up action if the implementation of global goals and targets is not on track. This can only be achieved if goals and targets are measurable.
- Financial resources from all sources should be available to increase substantially from current levels to enable implementation of the framework, alongside the alignment of investments and subsidies so that these benefit nature rather than harming it. An increase in capacity building, technical and scientific cooperation, and technology transfer towards developing countries is also needed.
Main actions and key recommendations towards the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework are as follows:
1. Mainstreaming young people-championed elements from a gender perspective in the Post-2020 Framework focusing on intergenerational equity, human rights
and the rights of nature, transformative education and the promotion of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.
2. Develop an effective and robust mechanism of the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework based on transparency, accountability monitoring and reporting.
3. Enable more synergies and alignment between the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework with other biodiversity-related multilateral agreements, processes and instruments (UNCCD, UNFCC; Ramsar; Future BBNJ, CITES…) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development so as to enable the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework systematically cross-maps its goals and targets and seeks to reinforce synergies in implementation and enabling conditions
4. Greening the financial sector (economics of biodiversity) – integrating environmental issues to support the post 2020 implementation framework and enabling conditions for resilience and transformative change
5. High level leadership and a whole-of-government approach mobilizing all the layers of the society including private sector and civil society.
Get the full document here: https://anyl4psd.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Eng_ANYL4PSD_DECLARATION-AFRICAN-CSO-AND-YOUTH_POST-2020-FRAMEWORK_OCTOBER-2.pdf