UN Summit on Biodiversity

Urgent Action on Biodiversity for Sustainable Development meeting was held in New York, chaired by Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General. Magzum Mirzagaliyev, the Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, spoke on behalf of Landlocked Developing Countries, (LLDCs).

"Given the importance of biodiversity for the livelihoods of our people, the LLDC Group calls for accelerated action on biodiversity. We emphasize the urgent need for action at the highest level in support of the Global Framework for Biodiversity beyond 2020, which will contribute to the 2030 agenda. We urge that the Framework considers the special needs of LLDCs in the field of biodiversity and guide the global community to implement the Concept of Biodiversity for 2050, which provides for "living in harmony with nature", the Minister said during the Summit, stressing that biodiversity is one of the most important national interests of Kazakhstan.

"Our country is committed to the Convention on Biological Diversity, and our next step is to adopt the Concept on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity by 2030. ... The Government of Kazakhstan is working on the protection and reproduction of the forest fund, expanding the network of specially protected natural areas, creating ecological corridors for the animal migration," he said.

Heads of several states and governments addressed the Summit. The leaders expressed their views on the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Conservation Program. This Program will be adopted at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2021.