The recently concluded COP28 brought forth a mixed bag of highs and lows for organisations dedicated to environmental conservation, with International Animal Rescue (IAR) closely monitoring the outcomes. As we evaluate the significance of COP28, let’s look at what went well and where World Leaders could do better.
There were some certainly some positive messages coming out of COP28 and, while it is a step forward, the ambition falls short of what is needed to tackle the threat to humanity and nature from biodiversity loss and climate change.
Support for the Global Deforestation Goal: One of the standout positives from COP28 is the robust support for the Global Deforestation Goal, which aims to halt and reverse deforestation and degradation by 2030, and other terrestrial and marine ecosystems acting as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases and by conserving biodiversity, while ensuring social and environmental safeguards, in line with the 2022 Kunming-Montreal COP15 Global Biodiversity Framework.
Increased Inclusion of Nature: there was a notable increase in the inclusion of nature-related topics, such as the commitment to “accelerating the use of ecosystem-based adaptation and nature-based solutions”. While this shift reflects a growing acknowledgement of nature’s pivotal role in climate resilience and aligns well with IAR’s mission to ‘Give Wildlife a Seat At the Table’, it falls short of the IPCC recommendation that “effective and equitable conservation of approximately 30-50% of the Earth’s land, freshwater and ocean will help ensure a healthy planet”.
Recognition of Indigenous Communities: We welcome the positive language recognising and empowering Indigenous communities. COP28 showcased a commendable acknowledgement of the vital role Indigenous communities play in sustainable practices and biodiversity conservation.
Urgency in Addressing Climate Change: The text of COP28 underlines the urgent need to address climate change and biodiversity loss comprehensively, emphasising the vital importance of protecting, conserving, restoring, and sustaining nature for effective and sustainable climate action.
Limited Discussion on Wildlife-related Issues: A notable concern arises from the limited discussion on specific wildlife-related issues during the COP28 Stocktake. This omission may be due to the general nature of the Stocktake, but it raises questions about the explicit focus on ecosystem conservation within the broader climate discourse.
Passive Language in COP28 Stocktake: Expressing concern, we note the passive language used in the COP28 global stocktake. There’s a pressing need for a more urgent tone accompanied by concrete evidence of practical action. The international community must move beyond merely noting issues and instead implement decisive measures.
Transition away from fossil fuels: This presents a signal of hope; however, falls short of consensus on the full phase out of coal, oil and gas. The science stresses the imperative for immediate action, urging world leaders to concede the failure of current policies and prompting everyone to decry the dangerous consequences of exceeding the 1.5C warming threshold. The inclusion of the word ‘unabated’ provides a loophole (carbon capture and so on) for nations to delay the urgent transition to truly renewable energy.
Furthermore, we need to mindful that, if the three-fold increase of renewable energy agreed at COP28 includes a scaling up of, so called, biofuel and the burning trees and plant products, it would be extremely damaging for climate change and biodiversity loss.
Act30: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB), and technology company ESRI launched Act30, which brings together a vast network of scientific experts and Indigenous peoples’ representatives to “help governments chart an effective and fair route to conserving their countries’ biodiverse areas.” The initiative is designed to support the 190 governments committed to the 30×30 target of conserving 30% of terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine areas by 2030 under the 2022 Global Biodiversity Framework.
The success of the IAR ‘Give Wildlife a Seat at the Table’ campaign:
…and we also want to share our own success. Before COP28, we set the challenging target of getting 10,000 signatures on International Animal Rescue’s petition to ‘Give Wildlife a Seat at the Table.’ This emphasises the importance of wildlife having a voice in decisions that impact the global community. We are delighted to share that we hit our target – thanks to everyone who signed up.
We thank Dame Joanna Lumley, Jo Brand, Peter Egan and Dr Jane Goodall for supporting our petition and comic strips. If you would like to sign the petition, you can still do so. The goal was to raise awareness, and we look forward to delivering the signatures to push for World Leaders to implement measures that contribute to a more sustainable and nature and climate friendly future for all.
The final word from Gavin Bruce, CEO of International Animal Rescue:
“Climate, nature and society are interconnected; the health and prosperity of humanity is reliant on robust ecosystems. While COP28 presents positive strides in global environmental efforts, IAR remains vigilant in pushing for a more explicit focus on wildlife conservation and ecosystem resilience. Climate change is one of the largest threats to biodiversity; conversely, nature can play a significant part in climate mitigation. There is an urgent demand for a change to actionable language to address the pressing threats to wildlife and humanity . COP28 is a start, but it is reliant on nation states rapidly implementing ambitious plans to conserve wildlife, reverse biodiversity loss and transition to a sustainable future. IAR stands firm in its commitment to ensure that wildlife and habitat conservation remains a central theme in the global climate agenda.”