On February 18th, 2021, the Side-Event of the Fifth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5) was virtually held. The theme of the Side-Event was "Strengthening Non-State Actor Commitments for Biodiversity in the Context of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals". Minister HUANG Runqiu deliveried the opening remarks.
HUANG Runqiu pointed out that people and nature form a community of life. Human beings must respect, conform to and protect nature. Biodiversity is the blood of and foundation for humansustainable development , and it is related to the future of the earth home. However, Biodiversity is facing grave threats, and there is a long way to go to curb the loss of global biodiversity.
HUANG Runqiu stressed that President Xi Jinping invited sincerely several times to gather in Kunming and discuss biodiversity conservation plans.. Chinese government has been actively participating in global biodiversity governance and steadily promoting the preparations for the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, whilst fighting against the COVID-19 in the past year. China is willing to make joint efforts with the international community to hold successfully a landmark CBD COP15.
HUANG Runqiu said that under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, China has made positive progress in biodiversity conservation. China initiated the Ecological Conservation Redline, launched a 10-year baning-fishing in the Yangtze River. China has increased the largest green space and afforestation area in promoting the ecological civilization and biodiversity conservation, comparing other countries during the same period in the world. Meanwhile, China has paid attention to mobilize business sector, civil society and the public Many enterprises have joined the Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN)23 Chinese civil society organizations launched the “Protected Natural Area Alliance for Public Welfare” and 500 million persons are “planting trees with their mobile phones.”
HUANG Runqiu stressed that China is actively promoting “the Sharm El-Sheikh to Kunming Action Agenda for Nature and People” through organizing workshops, strengthening communication and inviting participation. China calls upon all non-state stakeholders to jointly respond to the challenges , actively participate the actions, and make a greater contribution to conservation and movement to realize a shared future of living in harmony with nature.
The Side-Event was jointly hosted by the Government of China, the Government of Egypt and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
