YEREVAN, Armenia / AfricaWire.IO / – More than one million species face the risk of extinction as humanity continues to destroy nature, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned on Friday. Speaking at the Leaders’ Summit in Yerevan, Armenia, on October 16, he emphasized the urgency of global action to combat environmental decline. This summit preceded COP17, the 17th UN Biodiversity Conference hosted by Armenia from October 19 to 30. Guterres warned that ongoing destruction jeopardizes the future of life on Earth.
He urged governments to increase investments in solutions that protect ecosystems and called for greater engagement from businesses and local communities. Guterres highlighted climate change, overgrazing, and the excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides as major contributors to the triple planetary crisis. Pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change are collectively pushing the planet toward becoming uninhabitable, he stated, though he noted this outcome is not inevitable.
Four years after the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Guterres remarked that progress has been inconsistent and too slow. The 2022 agreement aimed to conserve 30% of the land and sea by 2030. Since then, nearly 90% of parties have set national biodiversity targets, with over half developing national road maps. He described the Yerevan gathering as a moment of accountability halfway through the process.
$30 spent on harm for every $1 on nature
Guterres highlighted a stark imbalance in global spending on nature. For every dollar allocated to conservation efforts, $30 goes toward activities that harm the environment. In 2023 alone, $7.3 trillion was directed into sectors detrimental to nature, such as heavy industry, destructive agriculture, and fossil fuels. He called for the permanent abolition of such subsidies. Guterres also mentioned the Cali Fund, which encourages companies benefiting from nature to contribute financially.
To meet biodiversity, climate, and land restoration targets, the UN chief said annual investments of $571 billion are needed by 2030, representing about 0.5% of global GDP. Biodiversity financing remains below half of the $200 billion annual goal set under the framework. Guterres pointed out that debt burdens, limited budgets, and an unfair international financial system hinder developing nations’ capacity to invest in nature.
Current commitments protect only 26% of land
Existing pledges fall short of the 30% conservation goal. If all current promises are fulfilled, just 26% of land and 12% of marine ecosystems will be protected by 2030. Since 2022, formal protection has expanded to include an additional 1.3 million square kilometres of land and 6 million square kilometres of ocean. Guterres urged nations to shift from destructive policies to those that sustain and restore nature.
He called for broader participation of youth, civil society, women, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities, noting that environmental degradation often impacts the most vulnerable populations most severely. The Yerevan Declaration’s commitment to integrating biodiversity into policies, budgets, and regulations was also welcomed. Guterres emphasized that biodiversity issues are interconnected with conflict, food security, disease, and climate change. The COP17 talks commence in Yerevan on October 19.