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Press Release, 20 May 2010
Attempts to stop biodiversity loss have failed at an international level. This
devastating knowledge, along with a summary of the most recent
developments throughout the world, was described in the current report from
the UN Secretariat on biodiversity: the Global Diversity Outlook 3. In the
International Year of Biodiversity and at the forefront on the tenth meeting of
the Conference of the Parties (COP 10) on biological diversity in Nagoya,
Japan, the international community again, after the disappointing results at
the climate summit in Copenhagen, failed to develop and enforce effective
solutions for a growing worldwide problem.
The alarming increase of extinct species can be mainly attributed to the
destruction of tropical forests for road construction, the illegal logging and
mining of natural resources such as crude oil and natural gas, the spread of
cattle farming and the cultivation of soy and palm oil crops. Climate change
aggravates the species extinction. According to Professor Joseph Alcamo,
the head scientist of the UNEP, over 30% of animal populations, 20% of
mangroves and sea grasses and 40% of coral reefs have become extinct
since 1970. This also puts the achievement of the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) at risk because biodiversity is an important element in
sustainable development and poverty reduction.
COICA (Coordination Body of Indigenous Organisations of the Amazon
Basin), Climate Alliance´s indigenous partner organisation, stressed the
relationship between climate change and the increasing destruction of their
natural habitats in a statement from the climate summit in Bolivia. The
statement read, "Our concern as indigenous peoples worldwide is that we
are not directly responsible for climate changes and yet we are the main
victims of its negative effects: desertification, forced migration, loss of
biodiversity, hunger and loss of our identity. Environmental reparations need
to be made to make up for the damages caused by humans."
To better protect the global climate and biodiversity, Climate Alliance is
supporting the Yasuní-ITT initiative of the Ecuadorian government. With this
initiative, Ecuador has agreed to leave oil in the ground of its largest oil field,
which is located directly under Yasuní National Park. In return, the
international community will provide half of the lost revenue in the form of a
trust fund that will be used to finance Ecuador´s national parks and energy
systems.
This proposal gained international attention since it was created by a country
with an economy dependent on the sale of oil. The proposal calls upon the
international community to support countries like Ecuador in their efforts to
protect important environmental areas. The Yasuní National Park is an area
with the highest biodiversity in the world and it was declared a Biosphere
Reserve by UNESCO in 1989.
At the International Annual Conference and General Assembly of Climate
Alliance in April 2010 in Perugia, Italy, participants passed a resolution that
invites the EU and its member states to financially support the Yasuní
initiative.
Additional information:
Climate Alliance Resolution to protect the Yasuní initiative:
http://www.klimabuendnis.org/resolutions0.html
For a full report from the UN:
http://gbo3.cbd.int
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The "Climate Alliance of European Cities with Indigenous Rainforest
Peoples" is Europe´s largest city network dedicated to climate protection.
Since 1990, more than 1500 cities and municipalities have joined and made
the commitment to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent
every five years. Climate Alliance´s European Secretariat helps its members
by providing methods and tools to efficiently implement local climate change
policies and to evaluate the achievements in terms of CO2 emissions
reductions. It also promotes the exchange of experiences and lobbies for
improved framework conditions at national, European and international
levels.
Climate Alliance cooperates with indigenous peoples for the conservation of
the tropical rainforests. Partner is COICA, the coordination of the nine
national indigenous organisations in the Amazon basin.
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Climate Alliance / Klima-Bündnis / Alianza del Clima e.V.
European Secretariat
Galvanistr. 28, D-60486 Frankfurt am Main
Fon +49-69-717139-0, Fax +49-69-717139-93
europe(at)climatealliance.org
Angela Hanisch, Public Relations and Newsletter
Fon +49-69-717139-12, a.hanisch(at)klimabuendnis.org
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