At the opening of the meeting today, the United Nations and decision makers from 190 countries addresses the imminent challenge of not meeting the global Aichi Targets by the 2020 deadline. Its purpose is to decrease loss of biodiversity and protecting ecological services that support food and water security for the wellbeing of humanity. The UN Biodiversity Conference is in Cancún, Mexico, as shared if the global efforts towards achieving Aichi Target is not on track this will lead to serious consequences for humanity’s well being and security unless sturdier efforts is in place.
The delegation from Tonga for this Convention is represented by Hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni; accompanied by the Director of Environment, Ms Atelaite Lupe Matoto and Project Manager for Tonga Ridge to Reef, Ms Ta’hirih Hokafonu.
There are more than 120 ministers of environment, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism who will discuss the mainstreaming of biodiversity in their various Government policies, programmes and plans to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity.
The following main themes will be addressed over the weeks at the Convention such as Mainstreaming Biodiversity; Marine Life; Ecosystem Restoration; Bio-synthetics; Pollinators as well as The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing. The way forward to address the most pressing issues in each area will be discussed at this high level meeting.
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Issued by the: Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications