SUBNATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS RAMP UP ADVOCACY FOR NATURE AHEAD OF THE UNITED NATIONS SUMMIT FOR BIODIVERSITY
The outcomes of the Edinburgh Process, which brought together delegates from across the globe, representing all levels of governments, will be presented to the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity (CBD), in a special webinar on Wednesday 23 September 2020.
A statement of intent, known as The Edinburgh Declaration, has been agreed between subnational and local governments across the world and calls on the CBD to take bold action to halt biodiversity loss.
It also calls for greater prominence to be given to the role that subnational and local governments play in delivering a new global framework of targets, set to be agreed next year, and affirms their readiness to meet this challenge.
More specifically, subnational and local governments are calling on CBD Parties to support the adoption at COP15, of a new dedicated decision for the greater inclusion of subnational and local governments within the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
The Scottish Government, with support from a wide range of partner organisations, proudly hosted the Edinburgh Process for Subnational and Local Governments on the Development of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, which began towards the end of April 2020.
The Edinburgh Process brought together delegates from across the world representing all levels of governments, including strong representation from subnational and local governments, as well as indigenous people and local communities, women, youth, NGOs and the business community.
The Edinburgh Declaration for subnational governments, cities and local authorities on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, sets out the aspirations and commitments of local and subnational governments for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, to work alongside CBD Parties in taking transformative actions for nature over the coming decade, to deliver the 2050 vision of ‘living in harmony with nature.’ The Declaration has been signed by Edinburgh Process Partners and is open for signatures by local and subnational governments, CBD Parties, and other non-governmental and business organisations right up to COP 15.
Roseanna Cunningham, MSP, the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform has stated that “The Edinburgh Declaration makes it clear that the Scottish Government, together with subnational governments, cities and local authorities across the world, stand ready to meet the challenge of delivering the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and play a stronger role in its implementation”.
“At the dawn of a new decade, the future of our planet will be determined by the actions we take now to reverse the unprecedented loss of nature and secure our increasingly urban future,” said Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montreal and ICLEI’s Global Ambassador for Local Biodiversity. “It is at the subnational and local level that action has a direct impact, and this is where the new global biodiversity framework will be implemented.”
The Edinburgh Process Partners include the Welsh Government, the UK Government Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), European Committee of the Regions (CoR), ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the Government of Quebec, Regions4 for Sustainable Development, Group of Leading Subnational governments toward Aichi Biodiversity Targets (GoLS), with support from the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), NatureScot, and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE).