[ MUSIC ] All right, just gonna put this on. Thank you both for being here. Really appreciate it. Wait [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ INAUDIBLE ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] All right, the topic of his panel is biodiversity and Biodiversity by definition is incredibly broad. But Christiana, you had a very succinct way of putting it earlier. Can you just give us your definition of what biodiversity is? Right. Thank you. And good afternoon, everybody. The most simple way to understand biodiversity or biological diversity, it's the totality of all forms of life On the planet, so that says it all from the tiniest bacteria to microbes, to trees, to plants, to animals to wildlife and finally to humans. We are all biodiversity. Alright, so that mentioned this report that came out in May from the United Nations that really put in very stark terms The threats to bio diversity. And I'm just I'm wondering Christiana if you can. Well it said that it's declining at rates that are unprecedented in human human history with some 1 million plant and animal species threatened by extinction, extinction, many within just a decade. And I think there's a temptation to think about Species extinction is something that's separate from our everyday lives. Tigers are going extinct or insects are going extinct, but can you talk about why everyone in this room, should be concerned, about what the UN report laid out in such dramatic fashion? Yeah. With pleasure, not everyone in this room, but everybody on this planet needs to be concerned and needs to be seriously concerned. Because the loss of biodiversity It is not about the loss of this 1 million species. It's a lot more than that because this million species have their own role in the way the planetary systems function. Again from the tiniest bacteria all the way to us humans. So when we are losing the species we are losing the fabric that keeps together all these ecosystems, the way we refer to it and the services that nature provides for us. So, let us not forget our food comes from nature and from biodiversity, the air that we breathe, the water that we drink. All the services are provided by nature free for us humans and maybe through our evolution we we came to believe that somehow we are separated from nature. The reality is we are not. We have our own role in this ecosystem. It's true that we are the dominant species. But if we are losing all the other forms of life, there is absolutely impossible that we can continue on this planet and No matter how much creative technology can get. So, I think it is a reason of concern because at the end of the day, it is impacting us at an individual level, it's impacting businesses. It's impacting indigenous people in their communities. So, it's a very, very serious threat. It's a track that it's not much talked about. I hope that with the release of the of the report in May, a lot of people started to realize what's at stake. Climate change is the biggest problem that we talk about these days. But climate change is just an effect of the disruption in the way the planetary systems function and. And biodiversity is fundamentally, the infrastructure that supports life on Earth, it's the capital that supports us here. So if we are losing that, we are facing a serious challenge in the decades to come. Can you give, you mentioned the impact on business, can you give an example of Of how the declined in bio diversity. Yeah, let's take the one that I think it's easier for us to understand humans because obviously the entry point to understand the relation with bio diversity is to food, is to health. So agriculture, land used changed, sea used changed. Is the largest driver of [ UNKNOWN ]. It's the way we clear forest, we clear lands, we overfish in order to provide food for a growing population. However, as these species go extinct, and they decline, obviously, that is a threat for the businesses in the agriculture sector. And in turn, it's a threat to our food security So right now, I think everyone of us can still go to supermarket and buy food. So perhaps it's not so obvious what's happening out there. I used to call biodiversity loss the silent killer, because with climate change we see the impacts, it's now becoming visible. But every city loss, we don't see it but by the time we will realise it's gone it may be too late. So fisheries, forestry, agriculture, those are sectors that can be seriously impacted, as well as insurance [ LAUGH ] the reinsurance industry. With disruptive weather patterns, they see a lot of threats, too, to their business. Right, well, the the UN report was pretty dire, as we mentioned. But it did have a bit of a silver lining, or at least a blip of hope in that. It said that it's not too late to really sort of turn this trend around but that transformational change Needed and I want to hear from both of you, Christiana and the vice minister. What's what are the one or two changes that you think we most need to see immediately? I mean, obviously, this is such a broad topic, but do you want to start by semester? She Yes, I want to share with you my observations. Well, from the government perspective, I'm the vice minister of the China's government facing up to this threat, the loss of biodiversity, the government shall play critical and important role, I cannot share with you The understanding of the Chinese government and how to preserve the biodiversity in 2011. The National Committee of Biodiversity Conservation was established later by the Vice Prime Minister of the country. [ UNKNOWN ] Had the national plan on protection of the biodiversity [ UNKNOWN ] from 2011 to 2030. We had Do you know, seven major projects in protection of bio diversity for example, protection of the wetland, or the land, habitat for the creators living on this planet to make it a livable and comfortable You know we have taken various measures including establishment of the natural resource reserve. It covers about 17 % of the national territory [ INAUDIBLE ] 18 % to be specific are higher than the original target of 17 %. Well in recent years, given the worsening biodiversity, last we are very determined to push forward with implementation of this plan. Apart from these reserve, we've gone to identify and select some other fragile and [ UNKNOWN ] areas. We try to include these areas into our reserve. This pan has been implemented for three years. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] And we have labelled these areas. We hope that we could extend this area of reserve to 25 % of the national territory. This is our target. And the government also have put in place various policies and practical measures. Ever since the 18th and CPC National Congress. President Xi Jinping encouraged the establishment or Formulation of the supervision for the implementation of the biodiversity conservation and this has to be implemented at a local level with the help of the local government. To make the implementation as effective and efficient as possible, I can give you a quite concrete example. Now we're having these very important forum by Fujian Lake. But a couple of years ago, there are a lot of human activities going on. By the lake including some restaurants, the hotels, you know, not too environmentally friendly. And there are a lot of development going on by the lake. Well the local government has what realized, you know what something has to be done to change for a better environment by the lake for the quality of the water in the lake and also for to habitat by the lake need to be improved. After years of endeavor, you can enjoy a very beautiful and very well regulated environment here by the lake. More importantly I want to tell you that the quality of the water in the lake, has been very much improved. [ FOREIGN ] This is the one of the most beautiful freshwater body with one of the largest size of compared to other freshwater here in China. About a 20 billion cubic meters in this water body So after years of effort, now we can enjoy this beautiful picture risk lake with a very good quality of water. So we're sitting right here on an example of what government intervention, government projects can do. And Cristiana and we ,- just beforehand You said that we should be thinking about the crisis of biodiversity not necessarily as an environmental problem but as a problem in terms of economy. Can you explain that because I think that's a real Yeah, yeah. And I would rather refer to a planetary emergency because, by diversity laws crisis is linked to climate change, is linked to ocean distraction, it's linked to everything else, so it's not just one side of approach, it's a It's a series of crises that are all interconnected because the planet works as one system. And yes, I look at biodiversity not as an environmental problem but as fundamentally an economic problem, because the drivers of biodiversity laws are coming from the economic activity. And in fact, are coming very much so from the perverse incentive that we give to activities that at the end of the day hard nature so to fix it, it's important to take policy measures that are coherent and that are addressing in this this Revolutionary transformational change that the report talks about. The big, big challenge that we have is that, according to the scientist's, do not have a lot of time. The scenario's indicate that if we continue, with the business as usual, both in our Actual businesses, private sector activity, but also the governance policies, the institutions, the consumption choices that we have. By 2050 we risk to get the planet into a stage where you could see irreversible damage and we cannot control that. Now, in ten years time, what can we do is to work together collectively, both governments who have their very important role to set out the policy framework that would incentivize good for nature, tax the bed, internalize the externalities of pollution, and really have the political courage. And the bold determination to redesign policy measures and perhaps economic models. I think the economic development models fundamentally need to put at the center nature because this is the foundation, this is the capital on which our economic system and our societal system stays, and That paradigm shift that perhaps is not easy to take and to shift faster, but we do not have many alternatives. So in that sense, I think the conference that will be hosted in China next year in [ UNKNOWN ] just an hour away It's really a historical and unique opportunity where all the countries around the world the 196 countries, which are members of the United Nation Convention on Biological Diversity will come together to agree on a plan for the next decade and for the decades to come. To see how and what do we need to do to define measures and policies and actions and, we hope that the business community will engage very seriously in that, as well as the as the people, the consumers. because it's not the governments alone or the UN alone or business alone will not be able to resolve that. We need Transformation in all systems in all economic sectors to recognize the value of this capital to recognize what we are losing when we lose it and it's not just moral value and you know some nice. This is in parts of the world its monetary value that we are seriously losing right. So you mentioned this is the 15th Conference of the parties. To the Convention the Biological Diversity. So that's taking place. Next year in Kunming Hosted by ->> Right and vice minister, I wanted to ask you, I mean as host of that conference, what do you hoping will be the outcome of that? [ BLANK_AUDIO ] We are very glad that this conference is going to be hosted Kunming. China, this will go a long way in putting together a framework for biodiversity global protection from 2022 2030. So we are hopeful that [ BLANK_AUDIO ] The best outcome, would be that in the protection of global biodiversity, a consensus will be forged, on what to do from 2020 to 2030 like habitat protection, beaches protection, and other types of protection which should drive a consensus as much as possible. And for it to be hosted in China, We would like to introduce to the audience, some best practices in China in the protection of biodiversity. Here in China, we have had a lot of experience, learnings and takeaways in the protection of the ecosystem of habitat and other bio resources. That we would like to bring experience to the reference of others. Christine, you compared it to accord that could come out of that meeting. You compared it to the one that come out of Paris, and we know how influential. That was when it was first agreed to. I wanted to ask you both obviously in this forum it's important to talk about businesses role in this. Christiana you talk to businesses quite often. I'm wondering what argument you find to be most persuasive when you Talking to businesses and sort of convincing them that this that biodiversity, there is a business case for protecting biodiversity. Yeah, definitely there there is a business case but I mean I don't have have to necessarily convince them. I think many of them are starting to become convinced themselves for a variety of reasons. Ranging from moral responsibility, social responsibility to Competitive advantage or simply realizing, I think the vast majority This is a risk and the threat to the business. And then they engage in action. And I hope you are all in this room a lot of you coming from the business community at a sustainability forum. So Perhaps I'm talking to the converted. But it's true that what I have seen in the last two years since I've been leading this convention, it's a surge in business interest from variety of forums to from the world economic forum to many other events. Just few weeks ago in Paris with President Macron of France. He introduced biodiversity as one of the topics for the G7 political meeting. And that's unprecedented because we don't usually see biodiversity being reflected in this kind of super high level political dialogues but it's because he recognizes the challenge and the track, That it's almost existential to the planet. So with that what was very interesting it's the formation of several business Coalition's and we are talking large businesses here, coming together to there is an alliance called business for inclusive growth. Which includes companies such as the unknown and Nestle companies in the, in the textile industry in the fashion and luxury brands who, who realize that it's critically important to, to really reduce their footprint or if anything have a positive impact Biodiversity throughout their supply chain because it they are their business depends on biodiversity so some of them will come to the UN in two weeks time at the UN General Assembly and feature. This Alliance is there. It's it's very important to see businesses starting To move in this direction and make commitments. But, honestly, we need not just pioneers and champions, we need essentially the whole world to move on. And there is just one other small point, it's the opportunity that exist for businesses in the ecoinnovation And green business entrepreneurship because there are models out there where is a win for business and for economy and for people from eco entrepreneurship. So businesses are starting from the very beginning circular economy. I mean, there are many .>> Right, I mean, you mentioned there is a current sort of a ground swell of business support. For this in the last two years or so, I'm wondering what you think is behind that. Do you have some thoughts on that? Yes, indeed. I mean, I fully agree with what she has shared. The business community is playing a bigger role in the protection of bio- diversity. It's going to bring about win win results through such actions companies can benefit economically while protecting the environment and the nature. In China we have a lot of success stories about being green. For example, ten years ago, there's a desert in China that was expanding rapidly. And then, a company came to its protection and the reservation of the lands around the desert with the support of the government On the one hand, they planted a lot of trees along the forest. At the same time, they developed some eco products like equal resources grown in or around the desert, and they became very successful with their business as well. And that company has become very successful. At the same time, the desert is being well- treated. And it has one claim from the International Convention on the prevention of desertification. And the global conference was hosted in that desert. And 10 years ago, there were only 10 species now they have around 500 speeches a species, by and large, restoring what it was like before very successful. And also many Chinese companies are. Also making contribution to infrastructure conducive to ecosystem protection. And they are translating a government mandate into voluntary actions. For example, in the Tibetan and the Shanghai plateau while building a railway link The railway company while satisfying the minimal requirements of the EIA, Environmental Impact Assessment, they have also taken extra steps to protect the ecosystem along the railway links. And that helps a lot with finding the harmony between man and nature. With infrastructure development, and in Greenland province, we have another success story as well, whereby around two years ago in developing a hydro power project. The company realized the importance to protect some local species and the development planning was readjusted accordingly. So that some species have been well protected. Those are very good success stories and examples. All right. Well, it's always nice to end on a success story or out of time, but I thank you so much for joining us and sharing your insight, On what is obviously a critical issue for business and government. So thank you so much. Okay. [ APPLAUSE ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ]

Creating a Plan for Preserving Global Biodiversity

Environment

Earth has lost 100 million hectares of tropical forests over the last 50 years.
