COP30 Leaders Say Biodiversity Must Take Center Stage in Global Climate Talks
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — As momentum builds toward the upcoming COP30 Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil, global leaders at the Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit in Guyana are sounding the alarm: biodiversity must be integrated as a core pillar of international climate action.
COP30 Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago emphasized that biodiversity can no longer be sidelined in United Nations climate negotiations. Speaking at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, he stressed the urgent need for countries to advance carbon accounting and nature-based climate solutions.
“We need to advance in carbon accounting, and I’m very glad that there is a strong scientific basis to work on that,” said Corrêa do Lago.
Barbados PM Mottley: Pollution, Climate & Biodiversity Must Be Tackled Together
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, a leading voice on climate justice, warned that addressing pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change in isolation is no longer an option.
“You cannot address the issues of saving the planet without addressing climate, biodiversity, and pollution all at the same time,” she said.
Mottley highlighted a recent national initiative in partnership with the Barbados Wetland Trust to revive the Graham Hall Nature Sanctuary, closed for nearly two decades. She announced efforts to:
- Restore remaining wetlands
- Establish two new national agencies to protect coastal zones
- Combat sargassum seaweed damage and agricultural runoff-related erosion
Former Colombian President Ivan Duque: Let’s Link Nature to Markets
Former Colombian President Ivan Duque Márquez noted that 70% of the world’s wildlife has vanished in the last 50 years and called for urgent implementation of market-driven, nature-based solutions with measurable outcomes.
“We need a global coalition to protect biodiversity, with clear KPIs and fair carbon pricing to make this a reality,” Duque asserted.
