The holiday season is a time that always gives us cause to pause and ponder: What brings us joy? What are we grateful for this year? How do we want to spend our time this festive season? What are our plans for the New Year? The answer for me is to visit more of our wonderful wildlife-filled world. I want to get outside into nature, see it, experience it and help protect it for our children and beyond.
It appears that the world is waking up to the same idea: Nations, based on the agreement at the COP15 UN biodiversity summit in Montreal this month, have agreed to protect a third of the planet for nature by 2030 in a landmark deal aimed at safeguarding biodiversity. This refers to protecting, enhancing and restoring ecosystems, whilst halting species extinction and maintaining generic diversity and sustainability. The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, hailed the recent landmark deal this December said: “We are finally starting to forge a peace pact with nature”.
It is not just the necessity but also the incredible opportunities that come with living more sustainably by protecting our ecosystems such as rain forests, wetlands and the rights of indigenous peoples. The vital issues target sustainable use of biodiversity, ensuring that species and habitats can provide the services to humanity, such as food and clean water. Likewise ensuring that the benefits of resources from nature, like medicines that come from plants, are shared fairly and equally so that indigenous peoples’ rights are protected.
We face many ongoing challenges as we start to unite to protect our world. However, there’s a long way to go to get to where we need to, but it’s a big step forward in my view.
Happy holidays from our family to yours.
