Bhupender Yadav addresses Stock taking Plenary at UN Biodiversity Conference, COP15 at Montreal

The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav addressed the Stock taking Plenary at UN Biodiversity  Conference, COP15  at Montreal, Canada. Addressing the Plenary Shri Yadav said,

Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I acknowledge the contribution of the parties for their valuable contribution and hope that this conference reaches a consensus on putting in place the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Reversing ecosystem degradation and halting global biodiversity loss are essential for socioeconomic development, human wellbeing, and for advancing global sustainability. The goals and targets set in the Global Biodiversity Framework should be ambitious; yet realistic and practical. Conservation of biodiversity must also be based on Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective capabilities as the climate change processes affect biodiversity.

Excellencies,

For the developing nations, agriculture is a paramount economic driver for rural communities, and the critical support provided to these sectors cannot be redirected.When food security is of paramount importance for developing countries, prescribing numerical targets in pesticide reductions is unnecessary and must be left to countries to decide, based on national circumstances, priorities and capabilities. Biodiversity conservation requires ecosystems to be conserved and restored holistically and in an integrated manner. It is in this context that Ecosystem Approaches for conservation of biodiversity need to be adopted rather than nature based solutions.

Excellencies

The successful implementation of the framework will squarely depend on the ways and means we put in place for an equally ambitious Resource Mobilization Mechanism. Hence there is a need to create a new and dedicated mechanism for the provision of financial resources to developing-country Parties. India is fully committed to working closely with all parties so that we are all able to bring out an ambitious and realistic Global Biodiversity Framework in COP 15.

Thank you very much.