World leaders pledge to do more to combat biodiversity loss – we consider the built environment
A call to action from the United Nations, a response from our leaders and all reported in the world’s press. Awareness awakened, promises and pledges made but will we see real climate action?
This year we have seen further attention brought to the subject of biodiversity. It is the end of the UNs decade on biodiversity and sadly we see that according to the UNs own Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO) not one of its 20 objectives set in 2010 to limit the damage inflicted on the natural world by 2020 have been fully met.
Just days before the final UN biodiversity summit “Urgent action on biodiversity for sustainable development.” more than 60 world leaders signed a ‘Leaders’ Pledge for Nature’, a pledge by world leaders to commit to reversing nature loss by 2030. 60 Heads of State and Government, including the leaders of five of the world’s largest economies have endorsed the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, committing to decisive action on nature to protect human and planetary health.
This comes at a time when we have seen the media debate and discuss the stark findings of the WWF Living Planet Report 2020 that shows close to 70 percent of wild animals, birds and fish have vanished worldwide since 1970.
“Building in biodiversity: For climate, for health”
On the 14th October we launch our latest Urban Insight report, “Building in biodiversity: For climate, for health”, the report details key actions urban planners, architects, engineers, environmental technologists and citizens can take to encourage biodiversity in our urban spaces. We are looking to real solutions and actions we can take now to ensure increased biodiversity leading to improved physical and mental health and a lesser threat to the climate.
How can we go from ecological deserts to biodiversity hotspots? How can we provide wellsprings of life rather than urban environments that inhibit biodiversity and contribute to climate change?
There is a way forward for our towns and cities. “Building in biodiversity: For climate, for health” will be launched on the 14th of October, sign up to get the report directly into your inbox on the day of publication.