NEW YORK - Tomorrow, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will launch the Nature for Life Hub, a first-of-its-kind global call to action encouraging stakeholders to place nature at the centre of global development. The four-day virtual event (PDF) opens with a session moderated by UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, featuring Inger Anderson, the Executive Director of UNEP, and other thought leaders. This session will showcase new detailed data on climate change, with a discussion on how to best finance nature-based solutions to address climate mitigation and adaptation. To paint a fuller picture of nature’s role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the first day of the hub will also include sessions on how through supporting nature, we can jumpstart progress for human health and security, water, and prosperity.

Running in parallel to the 75th UN General Assembly, the hub will feature dozens of speakers from global governments, businesses, financial institutions, and local youth communities. The link to the full schedule (PDF) can be found here. Many government officials and other speakers will additionally be available for one-on-one interviews after their sessions (subject to availability). A full press toolkit can be found here.

What: Nature for Life Hub

When: Thursday, 24 September, 9.00 AM – Tuesday, 29 September 4.30PM EDT

Where: Live stream on the virtual Nature for Life Hub at https://www.NatureForLifeHub.org

Who:

●       Achim Steiner, Administrator, UNDP

●       Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP

●       Lord Zac Goldsmith, Minister, UK Government

●       Jennifer Morris, CEO, The Nature Conservancy

●       Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

●       Ban Ki-moon, Former Secretary General of the United Nations

●       M. Sanjayan, CEO, Conservation International

●       Audrey Azoulay, Director-General, UNESCO

●       Emmanuel Faber, Chairman and CEO, Danone/OP2B

●       Tian Wei, News Anchor, World Economic Forum “Young Global Leader"

●       Richenda Van Leeuwen, Executive Director, Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs

●       Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO, Global Environment Fund

●       Edward Norton, Actor

●       Alberto Borges, Founder/Nat Geo Explorer

●       Frans Timmermans, Exec Vice-President, European Commission

●       Rob and Melanie Walton, The Walton Foundation

●       Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia and 1% for the Planet

●       H.E Mr Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, UK

●       H.E. Mr Carlos Alvarado Quesada, President of Costa Rica

●       H.E Mr Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya

●       Marco Lambertini, Director General, WWF International

●       Professor Johan Rockström, Director of Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

●       Sofia Sprechmann Sineiro, Secretary General, CARE International

●       Peter Thomson, UN Special Envoy on Oceans

●       Jose Angel Gurria Trevino, Secretary-General, OECD

●       Steve Brumby, Senior Director, Geographic Visualization, National Geographic Society

●       Jamison Ervin, Manager, Global Programme on Nature for Development, UNDP

●       Rebecca Moore, Director, Google Earth

●       Ricky Kej, Grammy Award-winning Musician and Environmentalist

●       Henry Golding, Actor and Activist

●      Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder - the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace

●       Clara Hughes, Olympic Champion

●       Sarah Maston, Senior Solution Architect, Microsoft Project 15

●       Oona Chaplin, Actress, Aniwa / Boa Foundation

●       Mina Setra, Deputy Secretary General, AMAN (Indonesian Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipielago)

●       Andrew Revkin, Founding Director of Communications and Sustainability, Columbia University's Earth Institute

For press interest in attending the event, please contact: Sangita Khadka, sangita.khadka@undp.org, phone +1-212-906-5043.

PLEASE NOTE – This is a virtual event. A #NatureForLife Newsroom (held on Zoom) will be open to all credentialed media during both the Equator Prize event and for the full Nature for Life Hub. Interested reporters/bloggers should RSVP to adeline.thompson@undp.org for access and the full schedule of speakers for the week. Interviews with Equator Prize winners and select speakers are available on request (both in advance and in the Newsroom). Summaries of Equator Prize 2020 winners are available at https://www.equatorinitiative.org/.