UK calls for accelerated action to protect global biodiversity

The G7 nations have agreed new commitments to reduce plastic waste, improve air pollution, resource efficiency, and halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

The commitments were signed at the conclusion of the G7 Ministerial meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment in Turin, Italy. The UK lead the calls for accelerated action to protect the world's forests, food and nature and the precious species found in habitats across the globe.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay reiterated the Government's commitment to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030, as set out in the Global Biodiversity Framework and confirmed that the UK will soon publish the National Biodiversity Strategies Action Plan which will set out a framework of action for the UK to progress towards meeting the targets set out in the GBF.

The UK called upon all G7 members to advance the swift ratification and implementation of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement as soon as possible. This agreement aims to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national borders. Two thirds of our ocean lie beyond national jurisdiction, and so protecting these areas is a vital part of the effort to conserve marine habitats. 

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said: 

“We have a clear global mandate to halt biodiversity loss and create a healthy and sustainably ocean for millions of people all around the world, following the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework. It's clear that We must now focus on taking action to achieve these goals and put nature on the road to recovery.

“We are set to publish the UK's National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan soon and I urge all G7 countries to show leadership in publishing these ahead of COP16 in October.” 

The UK continued to push forward international progress on nature finance, including recalling our commitments to substantially increase our investment in nature by 2025. This follows COP28, when the UK announced an additional £2 million in funding to support the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures.  

The actions agreed today come ahead of COP16, which will be hosted in Colombia in October 2024. It will be the first COP to put biodiversity at the top of the agenda since COP15, where the UK was instrumental in driving forward the agreement of the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework.

COP15 saw the setting of a number of ambitious goals to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, including the target to protect 30 percent of land and sea for nature by 2030. The UK set an example in the implementation of these goals at COP28 in Dubai at the end of last year, by producing a roadmap setting out how to achieve 30by30 and which areas could contribute to it. 

The UK government went further to demonstrate international leadership in environmental action at COP28, when the government announced legislation to prevent products such as palm oil, cocoa and beef that are linked to illegal deforestation from reaching our supermarket shelves. 

Read the final G7 Environment Ministers' communique for more information.

NOTES TO EDITORS 

• The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement - The BBNJ Agreement is a historic agreement for biodiversity and will mean much greater protection for the two-thirds of the global ocean that lies beyond national jurisdiction. It will play a key role supporting the delivery of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including helping to achieve the target to effectively conserve and manage at least 30% of the ocean by 2030. The UK will ratify the Agreement as soon as possible and work with global partners to ensure it is implemented quickly and effectively. 
• Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) - TNFD is a global, market-led initiative which launched its framework in September 2023.  The TNFD recommendations enable businesses and financial institutions to report and act on their nature-related risks, impacts, dependencies, and opportunities, with the ultimate aim of supporting the realignment of global financial flows towards nature positive outcomes.