‘We are Wasting Our Natural Capital’, Secretary-General Says, Calling for ‘New

Vision’ from Japan Summit to Forge Strategy to Halt Biodiversity Loss by 2020

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message to the high-level segment of the Tenth Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, in Nagoya, Japan, today, 27 October:

Your Excellency Mr. Naoto Kan, Prime Minister of Japan,

Your Excellency Mr. Joseph Deiss, President of the General Assembly,

Your Excellency Mr. Ryu Matsumoto, Minister of the Environment of Japan and President of COP 10

Distinguished ministers,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen

I am pleased to send my greetings to this important meeting.

Your Conference comes less than one month after the General Assembly convened its first-ever high-level meeting on biodiversity.

This landmark event signalled a recognition of the importance of biodiversity to our collective well-being and the achievement of our development goals.

Our target to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010 has not been met.  Climate change is bringing more pressure still.

We need to intensify our efforts.

We need a new vision, and new determination.

I commend the Government of Japan for its proposal to declare the next 10 years the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity.

Neglecting the decline in biodiversity costs trillions of dollars each year.

We are wasting our natural capital.

I urge this meeting to move towards a coordinated universal biodiversity framework — beginning with a new Strategic Plan for 2011 to 2020 that encompasses all stakeholders.

I wish you success in adopting a protocol on access and benefit sharing of genetic resources.

And I pledge the full support of the United Nations in conserving and wisely managing biodiversity so all people can enjoy the full benefits of nature’s services.

Thank you.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record