Kunming: The world must act urgently to preserve ecosystems and biodiversity for the sake of a sustainable future and prosperity, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masatsugu Asakawa said at the opening of a global event on biodiversity here today.
"The world is at a critical turning point. If we are to reverse the alarming decline in nature, we must respond with urgency and coordinated action," Asakawa said in a press release on Thursday.
"These efforts are needed to ensure the survival of our ecosystems, and for the sake of our shared future and prosperity," he added.
Asia-Pacific is one of the most biodiverse region in the world—home to 17 of the 36 global biodiversity hotspots, 7 of the 17 megadiverse countries, and the greatest marine diversity.
"If restored and well-managed, these natural capital assets can help to mitigate global climate change and biodiversity loss in a cost-effective and impactful manner," Asakawa said in his opening remarks at the Ecological Civilization Forum at the 15th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Kunming, the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The event is cohosted by the PRC’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Yunnan provincial government, and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Participants include high-level representatives from governments, the private sector, development agencies including ADB, and civil society.
"Through our ADB Nature-Positive Investment Roadmap, we are working with partners to scale up finance, develop knowledge of natural capital, and generate financially sustainable projects that deliver on biodiversity and healthy ecosystems,” Asakawa said.
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