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Press Release-- COP Presidents' United Statement for Climate COP28 UAE
Abidjan, Beijing, Cairo, November 10, 2023 – For the first time, the Presidents of the last Conference of Parties (COP) of the three Rio Conventions have decided to join forces. With three weeks to go before the opening of COP28 in Dubai, the Presidents:
- Underlined the urgency of the situation and the inextricable links between climate change, desertification and loss of biodiversity;
- Called for a coordinated approach both at international and national levels to tackle these issues in a holistic way;
- Pleaded for more cooperation between the three Conventions and their secretariats;
- And asked for urgent, concrete measures to protect the world population, environment, lands and biodiversity to ensure a sustainable future for new generations.
They did so in a historical joint declaration released today, signed by:
- Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt and President of COP27 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC);
- Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China and President of COP15 to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD);
- Alain-Richard Donwahi, former Minister of Water and Forestry of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and President of COP15 to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio in 1992, the international community decided to develop three conventions to fight climate change, halt desertification and prevent biodiversity loss. However, as these three phenomena accelerate, the interconnections between them amplify, creating a vicious circle. Breaking this vicious circle requires a holistic vision and a coordinated approach.
With this joint declaration, the three Presidents hope to open a new chapter in the fight against climate change, desertification and biodiversity loss, one of coordinated efforts to face the urgency.
More information:
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework