Worldwide celebrations of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2023.
EVENT: From Agreement to Action: the Central Role of Water to Build Back Biodiversity - IDB 2023
In celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2023, on May 22nd; this event will illustrate the critical interlinkages between freshwater and biodiversity and showcase the outcomes of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) and UN 2023 Water Conference. The Water Action Agenda commitments on biodiversity made by different stakeholders at the United Nations 2023 Water Conference will be discussed at the event.
All aspects of human wellbeing depend on water. In turn the planet’s water cycle is dependent on and
mediated by biodiversity and water-related ecosystems. Freshwater ecosystems cover less than 1% of
the Earth's surface but harbour more than 10% of all species. The importance of biodiversity and waterrelated ecosystems is reflected in the Sustainable Development Goal 6 and in particular Target 6.6.
However, biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems is in danger. Freshwater species are going extinct more
rapidly than terrestrial or marine species. Habitat loss and pollution are a growing threat.
In December 2022, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted with the aim of
halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity, sustaining water-related ecosystem services, and
supporting SDG 6 and the other Sustainable Development Goals. This global framework sets an
ambitious plan, including 4 goals for 2050 and 23 targets for 2030, to implement broad based action to
bring about a transformation in our societies’ relationship with biodiversity. All the goals and targets of
the Global Biodiversity Framework are linked to water and water-related ecosystems in multiple ways.
To mark the historic achievement of the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity
Framework at COP 15, the theme of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2023 is: “From
Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity”. This theme builds on the results of COP 15. Now that
the world has the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (agreement), the focus must
quickly shift to its implementation (action).
In March this year, the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York marked a once-in-a-generation event, as
it was the first UN conference solely dedicated to water issues in the nearly 50 years since the first UN
Water Conference. With almost 10,000 registered participants, the Conference aimed to be inclusive,
cross-sectoral and action oriented. More than 700 commitments were submitted to the Water Action
Agenda platform, which is a collection of new and ambitious commitments, initiatives and actions by
governments, the UN system and stakeholders, in support of the lifeblood of our planet. The
commitments cover a wide range of actions, from capacity building, to data and monitoring systems to
improving the resilience of infrastructure. It is clear from the commitments that governments, the UN
system, and stakeholders are paying attention to the cross-cutting and intersectoral nature of water,
with roughly a quarter of commitments also relating to global targets on biodiversity.
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