Interview: UN biodiversity leader says COP15 vital for parties to achieve common framework as situation worsens

OTTAWA/LONDON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity is a make-or-break moment for humankind facing an unprecedented environment crisis, said a UN biodiversity leader, urging all participants to grasp this opportunity.

In a situation worse than ever before in the history of humankind, if actions are not taken with urgency now, "we are all going to perish with it," Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, executive secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, told Xinhua recently via video link.

The second part of COP15 being held on Dec. 7-19 in Montreal, Canada aims at adopting a global framework to halt and reverse losses of the world's plants, animals and ecosystems caused by human activities.

"We are expecting parties to adopt the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, in addition to several other decisions to be considered," said Mrema.

"The loss of biodiversity is at such a high level that has never been the case in the history of humankind," said Mrema.

Scientific reports showed that over a million species would be extinct within this century and 97 percent of the global ecosystem has been degraded as a result of human activities or human action, she said.

The reports also said 75 percent of the land is already degraded, and 66 percent of the marine environment, 85 percent of wetlands and 50 percent of coral reefs have disappeared, with no report giving an encouraging figure, she added.

"The relationship between human beings and the natural environment needs to drastically be changed immediately," Mrema added. "We depend on the biodiversity for our survival because it's the food we eat, it's the air we breathe, the water we drink."

"We need to be optimistic," Mrema emphasized, "the number of delegates who have registered is unprecedented in the history of the convention, that clearly indicates the message is getting across."

At least 96 ministers and over 10,000 registered delegates are confirmed to join the second part of COP15.

Asked about the major hurdles and roadblocks facing the 196 parties at the negotiation table, Mrema said: "There are 196 different positions which need to be negotiated to be able to come to an agreement in terms of compromises. Not all countries will get 100 percent what they expect to get out of it because each country is unique. Each country has different priorities."

Murema spoke highly of the first part of the COP15 held last year in Kunming, China. The Kunming Declaration adopted during the conference was hailed as a major milestone achievement which will greatly help support the post-2020 framework and its implementation.

"Everybody needs to play their part. The framework will be universal application and a framework for all. We need all hands on deck, leaving no one behind," said Mrema, noting that all stakeholders have to play their part for its implementation to succeed.