Avaaz commends rapid action on global biodiversity framework fund

Requests for more donor to keep head above water

By Samuel Ogunsona

Avaaz group of seventy million people across the globe has applauded the adoption of Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) at the just concluded seventh global environmental facility (GEF) assembly.

The group said the rapid action will help halt and restore biodiversity loss in coming years.

This was said in a press release signed by the group campaign manager, Oscar Soria, made available to Irohinodua as a closing remark at the GEF assembly on Saturday.

However, for the global biodiversity framework fund to become operational, there is a gap of around $40million to be filled by top donor countries across the globe. Irohinoodua has been invited to attend a follow-up event in November this year.

Only Canada and the United Kingdom have offered specific figures of $200million and £10million respectively at the assembly among other top countries.

“We are still wondering where France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Japan, the US and the other major donor countries were. Why did they not step up when the urgency is called for in every single meeting, session, speech? Even the Hon. Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, is calling for other leaders to pitch in, however these major donor countries still remain silent: such silence speaks volumes. Excuses talk, money speaks” Avaaz said.

“We leave Vancouver asking ourselves when the remaining money will arrive: In our press release we expressed hope that the remaining 40 million US dollars would materialize”

“Surely donors can come up with the paltry 40 M dollars needed to operationalize the GBF Fund today.”

“We’ve been waiting until the very end of the Assembly. No other pledges were made” group added.

Avaaz group in a statement also challenge the GEF assembly to fully ensure the effective representation of indigenous people and local communities (IPLC) in every space of the institutional life of the facility.

“Since the last GEF Assembly in Vietnam (2018), many milestones have been achieved in ensuring the voice of IPLCs in global policy fora. The groundbreaking report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) on the role of IPLCs in protecting biodiversity in 2019, and many other scientific papers making the case to respect Indigenous rights and encourage Indigenous leadership to be at the centre of the solutions, have paved the way in the decolonization process of the conservation sector and creating stronger awareness on the need to engage IPLCs as equal partners.” Group said.

The group urge GEF assembly to act on the following urgency;

● Direct Access for Indigenous Peoples – from an aspirational intention to a real one
● Expedited administrative arrangements for the GBF Fund including change in eligibility
categories to facilitate Civil Society Organizations and Indigenous Peoples and Local
Communities (IPLC) funding
● Representative and equitable governance of the GBF Fund and GEF governing bodies
● Strengthening of STAP on Finance and IPLCs
● More forceful response to IEO recommendations on engaging IPLCs