Protecting Nature is Good Policy

PI's Chairman joins effort to address world legislators—underscoring the importance of valuing biodiversity to human health and prosperity

A Commitment to Conservation

On Wednesday, October 28, Henry M. Paulson Jr., (Chairman and Founder, Paulson Institute) participated in the  International Legislator’s Summit – Protecting Nature: The Road to Kunming . The Summit hosted by the ICCF Group and UK’s parliament and led by  Barry Gardiner MP  (Parliamentary Chair of ICCF UK) and the APPG on International Conservation reached a global audience that included leaders from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Speakers and attendees gathered to press governments to commit to ambitious conservation targets, adequate financing and, most importantly, decisive action on protection of biodiversity. The Summit was intentionally held on a day that was originally scheduled for the UN Biodiversity Convention (COP 15) in Kunming, China, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Increased engagement and collaboration with finance ministers will remain vital to creating lasting policy change, according to many of the global leaders who spoke at the Summit.

Paulson emphasized the vital importance of biodiversity to human health and prosperity stating that, "Properly valuing nature is arguably the most important task for governments over the next decade, and the urgency is increasing day by day. By taking steps now, as governments work to kick-start their economies after COVID-19, the easier it will be to transform how our economic systems and markets value nature."

The Policy Case

Drawing from the Paulson Institute's landmark report with The Nature Conservancy and Cornell's Atkinson Center for Sustainability,  Financing Nature , he stressed the need for a comprehensive, worldwide effort to value, protect, and restore nature—combining the efforts of the private sector and governments. He highlighted three major points from the report including:

  • The substantial potential of the private sector to finance biodiversity conservation
  • The imperative for governments to create the necessary conditions to induce the private sector to invest
  • Government action to halt biodiversity loss and incentivize the private sector to invest in nature is both important and urgent

"Properly valuing nature is arguably the most important task for governments over the next decade." - Henry M. Paulson Jr.

Remarks

Hank Paulson addresses the International Legislator's Summit

In addition to remarks from Paulson, speakers included:

  • Huang Runqiu, Chinese Minister for Ecology and Environment
  • Liu Xiaoming, Chinese Ambassador to the UK (strong engagement throughout)
  • Barbara Creecy, South African Minister of Environment, Water and Forestry
  • Lord Goldsmith, UK Minister for the Pacific and Environment
  • Lee White, Gabonese Republic Minister of Environment, Water, Forests, the Seas and Environment
  • Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO of the Global Environment Facility
  • Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity

Watch the full event

International Legislators' Summit - Protecting Nature: The Road to Kunming

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