by Michael Towers
by Michael Towers
The Age of extinction: UN draft plan sets 2030 target to avert Earth’s sixth mass extinction
Paris style proposal to counter loss of ecosystems and wildlife vital to the future of humanity will go before October Summit
Mon 13 Jan 2020
30% of the world’s oceans and land should be protected to stop and reverse biodiversity decline and to combat the sixth mass extinction in Earth’s history according to a UN agreement draft on nature.
The proposal sets year 2030 as the deadline for the conservation and restoration of ecosystems and wildlife and is expected to be adopted by governments in October at Kunnung China’s UN Summit.
Last decade’s targets set in Japan in 2010 were largely failed to met.
The text, a 20 points plan has been compared to the Paris agreement and also deals with invasive species, plastic polution and excess nutrients issues and while welcomed, enviromental campaigners called governments to treat the targets as the minumum aceptable.
The Text also includes trade in wild species (which must be legal and sustainable by the deadline) and aims for the full and efective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in decisión-making about biodiversity.