Secretary-General's remarks at the Kew Gardens Reception [as delivered]

Dear friends,

All protocols observed. 

To receive the Kew International Medal is a profound honour.

And I am deeply, deeply grateful, and I promise to do everything I can to deserve it. 

There are few places where the quiet power of the living world speaks so clearly as it does here, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

A World Heritage site. 

A sanctuary of science. 

A treasury of our planet’s great diversity.

For more than two and a half centuries, knowledge has taken root here – and grown into the guardianship of life, and of our common future.

In advancing that mission – from halting biodiversity loss to unlocking nature’s own solutions – Kew is a cherished ally of the United Nations.

And so, I accept this medal not for myself, but for the United Nations, and all those that work in the United Nations to support nature. And for the natural world we are sworn to defend.

Because the fate of nature and the fate of humanity are one and the same. 

And every day, the planet reminds us of that truth – through its suffering. 

The past eleven years have been the eleven hottest on record. 

A new El Niño is now expected this year – pressing down on an already overheated world. 

The world is now on course to overshoot the 1.5-degree limit in the coming years.

And every fraction of a degree matters – and puts us closer to crossing dangerous planetary tipping points.

The human costs of inaction are already unbearable. 

And so is the toll on the natural world. 

Ecosystems are unravelling. 

Species are being driven to extinction.

We even see it here.

The drought of 2022 alone claimed over four hundred of Kew's trees, as it was mentioned by [Richard Deverell, Director of Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew] a few minutes ago. 

And more than half the tree species in these Gardens could be at risk before the end of this century.

When the climate crisis comes for the great trees of Kew, it is a warning to us all.

This crisis has a root: our dependence on fossil fuels. 

And the way out is clear.

We must accelerate the transition to clean energy.

Renewables are now the cheapest source of new power in most of the world.

They are essential for the planet – and the smartest choice for our economies and energy independence.

We must leave the age of fossil fuels behind.

But cutting emissions is only part of the answer. 

Nature, too, must be part of it.

Our forests, our oceans, our lands and rivers hold the climate steady, cradle life, and sustain millions.

Yet nature is more than something to protect – it is our greatest ally.

We must invest in nature-based solutions that draw down carbon, defend communities, and meet our climate and environmental challenges.

First, forests.

From the tropics to the boreal north, forests store carbon, regulate rainfall, and shield us from floods, droughts, and deadly heat.

To keep 1.5 degrees within reach, we must end deforestation by 2030 – protecting intact forests, conserving peatlands, and eliminating deforestation from supply chains.

And we must restore degraded land – protecting watersheds, reducing disaster risks, and creating green jobs.

Second, oceans.

Our oceans absorb a quarter of our carbon emissions, and most of the excess heat trapped in the atmosphere. 

Yet they are warming, acidifying, and rising – threatening lives, economies, and the very existence of entire communities.

We must strengthen coastal protection and early warnings; 

Restore coral reefs, seagrass meadows and mangroves; 

End plastic pollution;

Expand marine protected areas;

And swiftly implement the High Seas Treaty. 

Above all, we must keep our promise to protect 30 per cent of the land and the sea by 2030. 

Third, science. 

Science is our compass. 

In an age of disinformation and open attacks on science itself, we must keep public action anchored in evidence and truth.

The work done here at Kew – and across the world's great scientific institutions – must remain independent and free from political interference.

Because when science is ignored, people suffer.

When evidence is attacked, action is delayed.

And when nature is treated as expendable, humanity pays the price.

Excellencies, dear friends,

Protecting nature is a legal and moral responsibility.  

Let us honour that duty:

By safeguarding the foundations of life; 

Investing in nature’s recovery; 

And ensuring that people and planet thrive together – now and for generations to come.

Thank you.