Statement – International Day for Biological Diversity 2023

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GATINEAU, QC, May 19, 2023 /CNW/ – The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, issued the following statement today:

“Canadians are a nature-loving people. From coast to coast to coast, we live in a vast and beautiful, natural environment that is a source of national pride and something we’re ready to fight to protect. Nature provides a multitude of resources that we rely on, and the rapid decline of biodiversity is threatening the foundations of our economy, food security, health, and quality of life.

May 22 is International Day for Biological Diversity, and this year’s theme, ‘From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity,’ builds on the results of COP15. Following Canada’s successful leadership in co-hosting and brokering a global agreement at COP15 in December 2022, it is time for a whole-of-society approach to reach our ambitious nature protection goals.

“The historic Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to safeguard the world’s nature, and halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 to put nature on a path to recovery by 2050. Countries are expected to submit their implementation plans to COP16 in 2024, agreeing that urgent action is needed to protect nature. There is no time to waste.

Canada is leading the way as one of the first to develop and implement its domestic strategy. On May 15, 2023, we launched consultations on Canada’s 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, engaging all levels of government, Indigenous groups, stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, academia, women, youth, and local communities. We continue to strive toward meeting a biodiversity target that Canada consistently champions: to conserve at least 30 percent of the world’s land and oceans by 2030.

“These consultations come ahead of the federal-provincial-territorial meeting of environment ministers later in May, where I am calling on provinces and territories to support the national 30-by-30 target through timely and appropriate contributions within their own jurisdictions. Canada also encourages other countries to put forward national biodiversity plans without delay.

“As a large and biodiversity-rich country, we are driving global action through historic investments and ambition in international negotiations. Our commitments and investments during COP15 illustrated significant leadership toward nature recovery, including:

  • Up to $800 million to support up to four Indigenous-led conservation initiatives through an innovative funding model, Project Finance for Permanence, which is based on partnership to identify shared goals for protecting nature.



  • $350 million in new and additional funding to support developing countries in protecting nature.



  • $255 million toward projects to help developing countries build a strong future, including by fighting climate change, protecting nature, and supporting resilient local economies.



  • Advancing the domestic ban on harmful single-use plastics.



  • $227.5 million in additional support for ocean restoration, conservation, and research across Canada.



  • Canada will host the upcoming Global Environment Facility Assembly where Governments are expected to launch the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund.


“Quick action is needed to stop biodiversity loss and the degradation of ecosystems. If all of us act on the call of this year’s International Day for Biological Diversity, we will build back biodiversity. Nature, and future generations, are counting on all of us.”

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

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