Remarks by Ms Beate Trankmann at the China Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation

December 8, 2023

UNDP Resident Representative in China, Beate Trankmann, delivered remarks at the China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation.

Honorable Ministers, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: Good afternoon.

On behalf of the United Nations Development Programme in China, it is my pleasure to be here at the China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation.

The topic of this session, Biodiversity and Marine Ecosystem Environmental Protection, could not be more important – or urgent.

We are in the midst of a 6th Mass Extinction, with up to a million species under threat. Every year, the world loses 10 million hectares of forest – roughly the size of Zhejiang province. And two-thirds of the planet’s oceans are now impacted by humans.

Here in Yunnan, one of China’s most biodiverse provinces, we are reminded of the beauty of nature– but biodiversity is not merely a spectacle to behold. It is the bedrock of our very survival.

Every single plant and creature on land as well as under water, plays a vital role in maintaining the delicate balance of our ecosystems. Our ability to preserve this balance will determine the collective future of all living things on our planet – including humanity.

As such, the imperative to safeguard the natural world transcends geographic borders, and is the responsibility of ALL.

It is precisely this reality which is embedded in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework or GBF, adopted at the COP15 summit last December, presided over by China. Twenty-three targets and over sixty resolutions were agreed on, to protect nature and safeguard the planet.

With this global framework in place, now is the time for collective action.

Here in China, significant strides have been made in biodiversity conservation including the expansion of protected areas to 18% of its landmass, and the establishment of 5 national parks. Work continues towards reaching the GBF target of 30% protected areas by 2030.

Beyond this, the government also launched the Kunming Biodiversity Fund during COP15, committing 1.5 billion yuan ($211 million) to support conservation efforts in developing countries abroad.

"No single country can do it alone. We need collective efforts, from governments and organizations, down to each individual, to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – our global blueprint to a sustainable future."

Through our Nature Pledge, UNDP is also working to support countries around the world to implement the GBF, and conserve the diverse ecosystems that sustain life on Earth.

For example, in the Pacific, UNDP is cooperating with partners including the Global Environment Facility to ensure the conservation of critical transboundary fisheries, which currently provide more than 60 percent of the world’s tuna. As a result of collective efforts across the region, the Western and Central Pacific Ocean is the only ocean where all four major stocks of tuna are harvested at a biologically sustainable level.

UNDP is also working in the Yellow Sea, in collaboration with China, Korea, and other UN agencies, to restore and maintain ecosystems. In particular, our joint project has focused on protecting endangered species by cleaning up marine litter and reducing contaminants.

While these and other efforts being made around the world are important, moving forward much more must be done, and done together, if we are to halt the environmental degradation threatening life on our planet.

This includes taking transformative steps to address climate change, as the two issues are interconnected. Intact ecosystems are not only vital as carbon sinks to absorb emissions but also play a critical role in buffering the effects of climate change as part of climate adaptation efforts. To this end, the COP28 climate summit ongoing in Dubai, represents a critical opportunity to accelerate more ambitious actions to protect our planet.

Looking ahead, UNDP is committed to building on the combined momentum from these efforts and continuing to work together with our partners to strengthen conservation and climate action both here in China and around the world.

In closing, let me thank the Ministry of Ecology and Environment for hosting this session. I also want to express my appreciation to the Yunnan Provincial Government and the China International Development and Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) as the forum organizers. Given the scale of the challenges we are facing to protect our planet, CIDCA’s work to advance international development cooperation could not be more vital.

No single country can do it alone. We need collective efforts, from governments and organizations, down to each individual, to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – our global blueprint to a sustainable future.

Together, let’s create a world where humanity and nature can exist in harmony, and all life can thrive for generations to come. Thank you.