COVID-19
At this time, we would like to express our condolences to those who have suffered loss and hardship as a result of the pandemic. Furthermore, we applaud the dedication and hard work of healthcare workers who are on the front lines in treating the sick. We acknowledge the role of local and subnational governments for their rapid response in the face of this crisis.
Nature provides us with diverse life-supporting and life-enhancing contributions and all cities critically depend on healthy interconnected ecosystems within and around them.
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There is a growing urgency for collective and large-scale action to protect biodiversity and respect nature in and around cities to prevent irreversible loss and damage to the natural systems that protect us. The COVID-19 pandemic is placing huge strain on our communities, our governments, our healthcare systems and our economies. Our cities still continue to grapple with massive sustainability challenges, and building urban resilience will be even more critical right now. It is also well known that nature is good for mental and physical health and wellbeing, which is especially pertinent at this moment in time. Cities whose urban nature is still accessible offer opportunities to connect people with nature and its benefits. Government-imposed restrictions, which differ in various contexts, are, however, paramount to the health of our urban communities.
To read the Statement by the Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, on the occasion of World Health Day, click here.
It is timeous that the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) is being negotiated at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Framework will provide a powerful means through which we can build back better together so that both humans and nature can thrive in harmony in and around our cities in the coming decade.
