Source: United Nations (video statements)
Remarks by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the thematic session on climate and nature forests and oceans.
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Secretary-General António Guterres said, “protecting forests and oceans is not charity. It is a legal and moral responsibility and smart economics” and called for “safeguarding these foundations of life; investing in nature’s recovery; And ensuring that people and planet thrive together, now and for generations to come.”
Addressing a thematic session on “climate and nature: forests and oceans” on the sidelines of the World Leaders Climate Action Summit ahead of COP30 in Belem, Brazil, Guterres said, “vital forests stretch beyond the tropics – across boreal and temperate regions. They store carbon and regulate rainfall – shielding us from floods, droughts, and deadly heat.”
He said, “we must halt deforestation by 2030 to keep 1.5-degrees within reach – protecting intact tropical and boreal forests, conserving peatlands, ending illegal logging, and eliminating deforestation from supply chains. We must also restore degraded land, with nature-based solutions that protect watersheds, reduce disaster risk, and create green jobs.”
Oceans, the Secretary-General continued, “absorb a quarter of human CO2 emissions and most of the excess heat trapped in our atmosphere. They cool the planet, underpin food security, livelihoods, and coastal protection. Yet they are warming, acidifying, and rising – threatening lives, economies, and the very existence of entire communities.”
He said, “we must enhance coastal protection and early warning systems; Restore coral reefs, seagrass and mangroves; Tackle plastic and nutrient pollution; Expand effectively managed marine protected areas – including by rapidly implementing the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction; And deliver “30 by 30” – protecting 30 percent of land and ocean by 2030.”
The World Leaders Climate Action Summit, taking place 6 and 7 November, brings together heads of state and government, ministers, and leaders of international organizations to discuss pressing climate change challenges and commitments.