YEREVAN, Armenia / AfricaWire.IO / – Over one million species are at risk of extinction as human activities continue to harm the natural world, warned United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday. During his address at the Leaders’ Summit in Yerevan, Armenia, on October 16, he emphasized the need for swift and impactful global measures to combat environmental deterioration. This summit took place ahead of the 17th UN Biodiversity Conference, COP17, hosted by Armenia from October 19 to 30. Guterres expressed concern that this destruction jeopardizes the very future of life on Earth.
He urged governments to increase investment in solutions aimed at protecting ecosystems and called for more active involvement from businesses and local communities. The Secretary-General identified climate change, overgrazing, and the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides as primary contributors to the triple planetary crisis. He warned that pollution, biodiversity decline, and climate change are collectively pushing the planet toward becoming uninhabitable, but reassured that this future is not set in stone.
Reflecting on four years since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Guterres noted that progress has been inconsistent and too slow. The 2022 accord aimed to conserve 30% of the world’s land and sea by 2030. Since then, almost 90% of signatory parties have established national biodiversity targets, with over half developing national road maps. He described the Yerevan gathering as a crucial moment for accountability at the halfway mark.
$30 spent on harm for every $1 on nature
Guterres highlighted a stark imbalance in global spending related to nature. For each dollar allocated to conservation efforts, $30 are used in activities that cause damage. In 2023 alone, an estimated $7.3 trillion flowed into industries that harm nature, such as heavy industry, destructive agriculture, and fossil fuel sectors. He urged governments to eliminate these subsidies permanently. Additionally, Guterres pointed to the Cali Fund, which encourages companies benefiting from nature to contribute financially.
He stated that achieving biodiversity, climate, and land restoration targets will necessitate an annual investment of $571 billion in nature-based solutions by 2030, roughly 0.5% of global gross domestic product. Despite this, biodiversity financing remains below half of the $200 billion yearly goal set within the framework. Guterres emphasized that heavy debt burdens, limited budgets, and an inequitable international financial system hinder developing countries’ capacity to invest in nature.
Current commitments cover only 26% of land areas
Existing pledges fall short of the 30% conservation target. If nations fulfill their current commitments, only 26% of terrestrial ecosystems and 12% of marine ecosystems will be protected by 2030. Since 2022, formal protections have expanded to include an additional 1.3 million square kilometres of land and 6 million square kilometres of ocean. Guterres urged countries to shift from policies that harm nature to those that support its preservation.
He also called for broader engagement of youth, civil society, women, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities, recognizing that environmental decline often disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations. The Secretary-General welcomed the Yerevan Declaration’s commitment to integrating biodiversity into policies, budgets, and regulations. He stressed that biodiversity is interconnected with conflict, food security, disease, and climate change. The COP17 conference will commence in Yerevan on October 19.