Article

“For nature, net zero is not enough…”

At the recent STHLM +50 Climate Hub, Marco Lambertini, WWF International’s Director General, offered a keynote address on the imperative of becoming a nature-positive society by 2030.
“For nature, net zero is not enough…” Marco Lambertini, WWF International’s Director General
“For nature, net zero is not enough…” Marco Lambertini, WWF International’s Director General

Looking back 50 years to the first UN Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm in 1972, Marco speaks in his address about how the impacts of economic development on the environment were already a concern then – and that, today, those concerns are greater than they have ever been.
Nature conservation, or nature loss, “is an issue of human security,” says Marco.
Considering nature loss, the “twin crisis” of the climate crisis, Marco looks at the differences in how these two interconnected crises are being addressed globally. While we still have a lot of work to do – and quickly – to address the climate crisis, there is at least a clear destination that many people, businesses and governments are pressing toward: net zero.
This is not yet true for the crisis of nature loss.
“We need a global goal for nature as clear, measurable and time-bound as the one we have for climate,” says Marco in the keynote. “We’re advocating that, for nature, net zero is not enough, because we have already lost a lot of nature, biodiversity, habitats and nature has the ability to bounce back, if given a chance...”
“The goal that we’re advocating for is a nature positive goal by 2030. Carbon neutral: net zero emissions by 2050. Nature positive: net positive biodiversity by 2030. So that by the end of the decade we’re going to have more nature, not less, than today. More forests, fish in oceans and rivers, pollinators in farmlands.”

Watch Marco’s ten-minute address, and hear what he has to say about a Paris-style agreement on nature, to get us “moving from a nature-negative society and economy to a nature-positive one.”
https://youtu.be/1QeKV76wzAo?t=9865


50 years after the very first UN Environment Conference, placing nature and poverty at the forefront of the international agenda, Stockholm welcomed the world again in June 2022. Together with partners, We Don'tHave Time and UNDP hosted a public arena for the entire week of Stockholm+50, leading up to World Environment Day 2022.
The five-day event was broadcast live from SPACE Arena in central Stockholm. On Twitter alone, the broadcasts reached more than 31 million viewers from 160 countries.
  • Evangeline Wanjiru

    64 w

    Once we embrace, protect and preserve nature the world will know sustainability.

    1
    • Patrick Kiash

      89 w

      Advocating for positive goal for nature is a plus.

      • Christina Carlmark

        89 w

        Very good speech - and yes, clear measurable and communicated goals for nature and biodiversity is key.

        • Simon Bergbom

          89 w

          Fantastic keynote!

          • Marine Stephan

            90 w

            A very interesting keynote. Nature is so important

            Welcome, let's solve the climate crisis together
            Post youtube preview with preloading
            youtube overlay

            Write or agree to climate reviews to make businesses and world leaders act. It’s easy and it works.

            Write a climate review

            Voice your opinion on how businesses and organizations impact the climate.
            0 trees planted

            One tree is planted for every climate review written to an organization that is Open for Climate Dialogue™.

            Download the app

            We plant a tree for every new user.

            AppleAndroid