The last nature conference (COP15) was hosted by Canada in Montreal in 2022

OTTAWA | TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE — As the COP16 biodiversity summit gets underway in Cali, Colombia, on October 21, member countries will present their domestic plans to meet global targets to protect and restore biodiversity. These targets are set out in the Global Biodiversity Framework agreed to at the previous nature conference, COP15, which Canada hosted in 2022.

Canada unveiled its 2030 Nature Strategy in June but has yet to commit the funding necessary to fully implement it. On the same day, federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault introduced Bill C-73, the Nature Accountability Act. Environmental advocates are calling for the bill to be strengthened to provide robust governance, transparency and accountability mechanisms that will help to keep Canada on track toward meeting its global nature commitments.

Looking ahead to COP16, Lisa Gue, national policy manager at the David Suzuki Foundation, said:

“Two years ago, Canada hosted the landmark global nature summit that saw countries of the world agree to the Global Biodiversity Framework to halt and reverse nature loss. Now, COP16 needs to be about turning that commitment into action. For Canada, that means funding implementation of the federal government’s new 2030 Nature Strategy and passing a strong nature accountability law.

“Setting aside politics, most people in Canada share a deep appreciation for the remarkable natural spaces in this country and understand the importance of protecting nature. But this needs to be more than a bumper sticker. The federal government can lead by example by fully implementing its Nature Strategy.

“Biodiversity continues to decline at unprecedented rates. Even in this time of fiscal restraint, governments at all levels must invest in protecting natural assets, as recommended by the Green Budget Coalition. Future costs will only increase if we delay investments now. A healthy environment is the ultimate bottom line.”

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For more information or interviews, please contact:

Brandon Wei, bwei@davidsuzuki.org, 778 772-6138