VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

With the annual U.N. climate summit in its final week, many of the world's environment ministers assembled in Egypt have begun setting their sights on another high-stakes meeting for nature taking place next month.

But for those talks on protecting nature to be a success, experts say, governments must bring global warming in check.

"Climate change is one of the big drivers of biodiversity loss," said David Cooper, the deputy chief of U.N.'s Convention on Biological Diversity.

The U.N. agency will convene its next global summit on biodiversity next month in Montreal, after host country China postponed the event four times through the global COVID-19 pandemic.

At the COP15 talks scheduled for Dec. 7-19, national delegations will hash out a new global deal to protect plummeting wildlife populations worldwide and halt the continuing degradation of landscapes.

Campaigners are calling for a full-fledged "Paris Agreement for nature" under which countries set national conservation targets and then report routinely on their progress in meeting them.

But first, the world needs to see success made on tackling climate challenges in Egypt, experts say.

"If we don't have successful outcomes in the climate process, then we cannot halt biodiversity loss," Cooper said.

HEATED HABITATS

Earth has seen five mass extinction events, and scientists believe the planet's sixth is in progress now - with animal and plant species vanishing at a rate not seen in 10 million years.

The world's wildlife crisis is driven by habitat loss and pollution, with climate change posing an increasing threat as global temperatures climb.

Without steep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, as many as half of all species by century's end will be facing temperatures and conditions beyond their ability to survive, according to research published in 2018 in the journal Science.

Those that can't migrate or adapt will perish. The loss of forests and other ecosystems like coral reefs and seagrass beds will also leave the world with fewer natural forms of carbon sequestration. Already, these "carbon sinks" absorb about half of the excess emissions humans are pumping into the air from burning fossil fuels.

"We are also seeing that biodiversity provides solutions to climate change, and that's why they need to be looked at together," said Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, the CBD's executive secretary.

Scientists and campaigners are pushing for next month's COP15 conference to conclude with a "nature positive" agreement that commits countries to ensuring there are more wild spaces and creatures in seven years' time than there are now.

"You cannot have a dream of coping with climate change only through the emissions," Virginijus Sinkevičiu, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, told Reuters. "If ecosystems are not able to cope, you don't have a success story" in fighting climate change.

"This is the biggest danger," she said.

PARIS AGREEMENT FOR NATURE

With just weeks before the COP15 summit begins, the draft of a hoped-for biodiversity deal has yet to be finalized.

"Looking at COP15, we are worried," said Marco Lambertini, director general of World Wildlife Fund International.

On Wednesday, the architects of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, which seeks to limit global warming to well under 2 degrees Celsius, issued a statement urging world leaders to secure a similar deal on nature.

"There is no pathway to limiting global warming to 1.5C without action on protecting and restoring nature," the statement said.

Campaigners and delegates told Reuters they want to see a strong cover statement on biodiversity come out of COP27 before they head to Montreal. While the talks are now being held in Canada, China remains the official host.

Canadian Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault also said he "would like to see a strong acknowledgement for the Convention of Biodiversity in the final COP27 outcome."

The Chinese delegation at COP27 did not respond to a request for comment. President Xi Jinping has not attended the climate talks in Sharm el-Sheikh and is also not expected to attend COP15. (Reuters)

Leaders at the G20 meeting in Bali on Wednesday agreed to pursue efforts to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius and recognized the need to speed up efforts to phase down coal use, in a potential boost to the COP27 climate talks.

Delegates at the U.N. climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where progress towards an agreement by the end of the week has been slow, have been watching the G20 summit closely for signs that developed nations are willing to make new commitments on climate.

"Mindful of our leadership role, we reaffirm our steadfast commitments, in pursuit of the objective of UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) to tackle climate change by strengthening the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and its temperature goal," a declaration issued at the end of the meeting said.

World governments agreed in 2015 during a U.N. summit in France to try to limit the average global temperature increase to 1.5C (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times, a deal dubbed the Paris Agreement that was seen as a breakthrough in international climate ambition.

"We resolve to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. This will require meaningful and effective actions and commitment by all countries," the G20 statement said.

U.S. Special Climate Envoy John Kerry said on Saturday that a few countries had resisted mentioning the 1.5C goal in the official text of the COP27 summit

The G20 declaration urged delegates at COP27 to "urgently scale up" efforts at the summit on the issue of mitigating and adapting to climate change.

It also made reference to the need to accelerate "efforts towards the phasedown of unabated coal power, in line with national circumstances and recognising the need for support towards just transitions."

India, the world's second-biggest buyer of coal, wants countries to agree to phase down all fossil fuels rather than a narrower deal to phase down coal that was agreed at COP26 last year.

"We will play our part fully in implementing the (COP26) Glasgow Climate Pact," the G20 leaders said.

The statement also reaffirmed an international goal to phase out "inefficient fossil fuel subsidies" and urged developed nations to meet their commitments to provide $100 billion a year for climate mitigation. (Reuters)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that Indonesia is ready to host the 2036 Olympics. The President said that the Capital City of the Archipelago (IKN) would be prepared to become the venue for hosting the biggest sporting event in the world.

He conveyed this in a press statement at The Apurva Kempinski, Bali, Wednesday (16/11/2022). "I convey Indonesia's willingness and readiness to host the 2036 Olympics in the Archipelago's Capital," said the President.

The President said, as President of the G20 in 2022, he and the G20 leaders emphasized the importance of sports. Apart from health and sports, according to him, they also play an important role in uniting the world.

"I as Chair of the G20 in 2022 along with other G20 leaders emphasize the importance of the role of sport for health. Sport can unite the world, especially at this time," said the President.

The President also views that the success of the next Olympics and Paralympics will emphasize the importance of neutrality in international sporting events. The next Olympics and Paralympics are the 2024 Paris Olympics, Milano-Cortina 2026 (winter).

In addition, Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032. There are also the 2024 Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon (winter) and Dakar in 2026.

"(The success of the Olympics and Paralympics) will emphasize the importance of political neutrality in international sporting events. As well as the autonomy of sports organizations," said the President. (RRI)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) invited the leaders of the G20 countries and international institutions to visit the Grand Forest Park (Tahura), Bali. There, the President and the G20 leaders carried out a joint mangrove tree planting activity and toured the Tahura.

According to President Jokowi, this activity is a concrete manifestation of what Indonesia is doing towards climate change. Through this activity, President Jokowi invites G20 countries to participate in the development of an inclusive green economy.

"I convey that Indonesia invites G20 member countries to collaborate, work together in a real action for green development," he said. The President also explained that the Ngurah Rai Tahura is an example of the success of the restoration of mangrove ecosystems carried out by the Indonesian government.

The 1,300 hectare area was previously an abrasive fish pond area. But now it has successfully turned into a home for 33 species of mangroves and 300 fauna.

"As a country that owns the largest mangrove forest in the world, namely 3.3 million hectares of our mangrove forest. Indonesia wants to contribute to climate change, to climate change," he said.

The G20 leaders also appreciated what Indonesia had done in the green energy transition and overcoming climate change. The President said, Indonesia will add similar mangrove forests in 33 locations in 2023.

"I think that's what inspires the leaders to do concrete things, both in the green energy transition and in the green economy towards climate change," said the President. (RRI)