As the Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit goes on at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Liliendaal, several key leaders shared ideas to strengthen global efforts to tackle biodiversity issues.
Former Colombian President Ivan Marquez chaired the panel discussion titled, ‘Strengthening International Will and Promoting Global Collaboration,’ which focused on the importance of collaborative efforts and innovative solutions to protect the ecosystem that will sustain life on Earth.
President of the Conference of the Parties (COP30), Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, stated that an international combined effort through platforms like the Global Biodiversity Alliance can spur momentum, reduce challenges, and synchronise efforts with the imminent United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties.
The ambassador emphasised the need to combine biodiversity and climate change initiatives, adding that the Amazon has the potential to be utilised as a tool to combat climate change.
He further expressed optimism about the potential success of COP30, also known as the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference. The goal of COP30, scheduled to be held from November 10-21, 2025, in Belem, Brazil, will focus on increasing financial flows for conservation and payment for ecosystem services.
“I believe that if we achieve this understanding at the COP on how climate and nature can help each other, I think that the COP can already be considered a successful COP. So, I hope we will have the support of all the communities that we need, not only the local communities, but philanthropy is extremely important,” stated Corrêa do Lago.
Secretary-General of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO), Martin von Hildebrand, emphasised the Amazon’s collaboration and indigenous leadership in protecting one of the world’s most important ecosystems.
He highlighted the significant progress made in protecting 40 per cent of the Amazon region, with 47 per cent of that area being indigenous territories.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of Conservation International, Dr Muttulingam Sanjayan, emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships and the vital role that civil society plays in fostering inclusive and successful international cooperation.
Dr Sanjayan called on the governments, particularly those in the Global South, to play a bigger role in providing certainty in the marketplace for conservation efforts.
Belize Minister of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Orlando Habet, highlighted his country’s leadership in biodiversity conservation and the role of small states in global environmental governance and advocacy.
The three-day high-level summit will enhance global awareness of the biodiversity crisis and provide a better roadmap for biodiversity preservation that integrates key policies to ensure the sustainability of the planet’s ecosystems.
Below are biodiversity terms used during the panel discussion:
