The World Set to Lose 1 Million more Species, UN Biodiversity Conference in Nairobi

"As we lose this species diversity, we lose the food, water, energy, raw materials, medicine, and cultural and spiritual wellbeing it provides," said Hamadalla Zedan, senior advisor to the Minister of Environment of Egypt, who currently holds the presidency of UN Convention on Biological Diversity, CBD.

Running from 27th to 30th August 2019 in Nairobi, the four-day conference which focused on forging an agreement for better nature conservation, attracted over 500 delegates from 100 countries.  A wide range of organizations from indigenous groups, civil society, government authorities, and the private sector, participated in the official discussions for a new global biodiversity framework.

Referring to the four most recent global scale reports on species diversity, Zedan said the rates at which habit for wild species is being destroyed is petrifying. "These reports tell us, in no uncertain terms, that we are losing species and land and marine spaces that support the species at terrifying rates," he said.

Hamadalla Zedan; reigning CBD President

Earlier in May this year 2019, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), released its Global Assesment report. This report including the 6th Global Environment Outlook, the Global Resources Outlook and IPCC report on Climate Change had very intriguing findings that have provided the much needed "strong scientific and political basis" for developing the biodiversity framework.

The CBD boss further revealed that in the above eye-opening reports, the populations of mammals, birds, and fish fell 60% between 1970 and 2014. "We are set to lose at least one million out of the eight million species on earth," stressed the CBD president, continuing that the key drivers of the species diversity loss include habitat conversion, over-exploitation, pollution and climate change.

Hamadalla, however, proposed tangible way outs to the heightening threat on global species diversity. "There is a need to set biodiversity frameworks with measurable targets and clear indicators," adding that the targets set should have buy-in from those sectors that largely cause species diversity loss.

Tourism sector and nature conservationists have always found themselves in endless ideological debates with sectors like the oil and gas, pesticide and urban development.

The multi-stakeholder conference that ended on the 30th August 2019 in Kenya's capital city of Nairobi, leaves much to be expected in the fight to preserve and conserve nature not only for economic reseasons but also for the future generation.


Article by Abet Tonny, a Freelance Science Writer in Uganda.

1. Click here to read Hamadalla Zedan's full speech.

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