11 November 2022
15.00 - 16.30
UN Egypt Pavilion, COP27
Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
Ecosystems can provide up to one third of emission reductions needed to keep warming below 2.0°C. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) will hold a side event in the margins of the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP27) to discuss challenges and opportunities related to nature’s capacity to mitigate climate change.
IPCC and IPBES have repeatedly released serious warnings about continuing decline of ecosystems resilience. Destruction & degradation are the most important drivers of biodiversity loss in natural ecosystems. To limit global warming below 2°C, we must protect and enhance carbon sinks on land and in the oceans, while respecting human rights. Ecosystems can provide up to one third of the necessary emissions reduction, but deforestation, illegal exploitation of natural resources, marine pollution, underpinned by corruption, contribute to the erosion of ecosystems at an alarming rate.
Building on Glasgow commitments to curb deforestation and biodiversity loss, the event will reinforce the biodiversity-climate nexus, highlighting key approaches to increase ecosystems resilience for climate mitigation. Africa, which has barely contributed to climate change is hit the hardest by its impact. With its natural resources, Africa offers unique opportunity to combine climate mitigation with nature objectives, while providing major climate mitigation potential.
Country and UN leaders will discuss ecosystems based approaches, responses to crimes that affect the environment, corruption and action to galvanize financing. The role of youth in preventing corruption linked to biodiversity, climate will be highlighted.The event will promote collaboration across environmental and climate authorities, justice system, maritime actors with recommendations and outcomes to be taken forward to COP28.
