Unceded Algonquin Territory — Ottawa, ON — August 25, 2023

Nature Canada urges the governments of the world to seize the historic opportunity presented by this week’s Seventh Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), to meaningfully defend nature across the globe.

Heads of government, leaders of nature organizations, and corporate executives from 185 states are meeting in Vancouver this week, to combat nature loss, climate change, and pollution.

Critically, they will also launch a new Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, to create a worldwide pool of resources to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework across the planet.

“Protecting nature is a global challenge, and it can only be achieved by global thinking and global action,” said Emily McMillan, Nature Canada’s Executive Director. “Migratory birds and ocean currents do not stop at political borders, and all life has a stake in every ecosystem everywhere. The GEF meetings are critical to building the political will and the resources necessary to meet the ambitions of the Global Biodiversity Framework.”

“Last year, the governments of the world came to Montreal, to negotiate and sign the Global Biodiversity Framework,” said Akaash Maharaj, Nature Canada’s Policy Director. “They promised to protect thirty percent of the world’s land and seas by 2030 and to halt human-induced extinctions by 2050. But too often, high words cast a long shadow over low deeds. This year, as those governments meet again in Vancouver, Canadians and citizens of the world must insist that they show the courage of their convictions.”

The GEF Assembly will last from 22-26 August 2023. It is being held under the shared leadership of GEF CEO and Chairperson Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault, and Canada’s Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen.

Nature Canada is Canada’s voice for nature. For 80 years, Nature Canada has helped protect over 110 million acres of parks and wildlife areas in Canada and countless species. Today, Nature Canada represents a network of over 175,000 members and supporters and more than 1,200 nature organizations.

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For more information contact:

Scott Mullenix
Director of Communications
media@naturecanada.ca | (613) 562 3447