Excellencies, Colleagues
It is my pleasure to join all of you today in celebrating World Wildlife Day.
I extend my special thanks to the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES), in partnership with the UN Development Programme, for organizing this event.
The theme we have chosen for this year’s celebration, “Recovering Key Species for Ecosystem Restoration” is highly befitting. Humans have a greater responsibility than ever to reflect on how we co-exist with other species, many of which are threatened with extinction because of our actions.
The continued loss of species and degradation of habitats and ecosystems threatens humanity as a whole, as people everywhere rely on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources to meet all their needs, from food, medicines and health to fuel, housing, and clothing.
As we upset delicate natural balances, and endanger keystone species vital to their ecosystems, we put the entire planet at risk. We put ourselves at risk.
This cannot continue. Now, in the spirit of recovering better, we must change how we do things and prioritize the health of our planet. We must change how we consume, how we produce, how we manage waste. We must invest in green technologies and transition to blue economies.
Individual efforts matter, and I applaud the climate heroes who continue to raise their voice, who plant trees, who endeavor to bring degraded ecosystems back to life, and who make climate-responsible choices in their everyday life.
But to fully succeed we must harness our collective energy and ingenuity.
In recognition that 2021-2030 has been marked as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, let us step up to the task and match words with action.
I call on the international community to work in concert and mobilize the science and resources needed to restore millions of hectares in every type of ecosystem, from mountaintops to the sea floor.
I am happy to note that many such efforts are underway, and I commend the CITES Secretariat, UNDP, and all stakeholders for their tireless persistence in planning and executing large scale ecosystem restorations.
We must continue to build on these foundations.
Having reflected that the 76th Session of the General Assembly is a ‘super-session’ on the environment, with High Level conferences on biodiversity, climate change, desertification, and the ocean, I decided that in July I will convene a High-Level Event on a ‘Moment for Nature’.
I will use the occasion to emphasize the message that humanity has the capacity to protect our planet if we work together, with urgency.
It is a message I took to the High-Level Event on Climate I held last October and a message I took to COP26. And it is a message that I reiterate today.
Through partnering and mobilizing, we can protect global biodiversity and keystone species. And we can preserve the diverse ecosystems that enrich our planet and sustain our well-being.
So, today, on World Wildlife Day, let us join hands and redouble our commitments to our planet.
Let us demonstrate to the plant and animal life that we as a fellow species on this planet have the decency and humanity left to change course and restore threatened species and their habitats
Let us acknowledge our ability to make a difference and act to make that difference.
Thank you.
