A human murmuration for action at CBD COP15

November 2022

Biodiversity is under threat everywhere - worldwide, a million animal and plant species are facing extinction. In the UK alone, 15% of species are at risk of completely disappearing, including more than a quarter of mammal species and many pollinators, especially wild bees and butterflies. 44% of species are in population decline, including 16 out of 20 of Britain’s favourite garden birds.

The UK is among the worst offenders when it comes to protecting nature - we’re in the bottom 10% of all countries worldwide.

Protecting biodiversity is crucial for tackling climate change. Healthy, species-rich ecosystems like forests, wetlands and oceans can act as carbon sinks, but their ability to absorb carbon has been weakened by the over exploitation of our natural resources.

Time to have the urgent conversation

In response to this challenge, the Urgent Conversation campaign launched on 14 November. The product of a collaboration by over 30 leading UK conservation charities, spearheaded by the RSPB and including WWF, Woodland Trust, and The Wildlife Trusts. The campaign urges the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, to drive the ambitions of world leaders for a global deal to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity at the upcoming, and long delayed, UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP1

Beccy Speight, RSPB Chief Executive, said “We can’t go on like this. It's time to have the urgent conversation that our leaders have been avoiding. The world desperately needs a shared plan for restoring nature and Rishi Sunak must play a leading role in securing a strong deal at COP15. Without nature, the future will be unimaginably bleak, but we do have it within our power to turn the tide and pass an abundant, healthy and diverse natural world to the next generation.”

A human murmuration

As a reminder of our connection to nature, and the importance of passing down a healthier planet to the next generation, the campaign has teamed up with renowned choreographer Sadeck Waff and a group of 80 students to perform a “human murmuration”, calling for action and declaring that conservation is a huge priority for young people facing an uncertain future.

Sadeck said: “This performance is about recovery and hope. It is inspired by the murmuration of birds and the beauty they create when they move as one. When you see the passion of these young dancers working together, you can’t help but feel hopeful.

“Our world leaders should follow the example of the birds, and these dancers, at COP15, and cooperate to create something beautiful - a plan for the future of nature.

“Ending biodiversity loss is possible if we all work together.”

We know that with genuine political and financial commitment, it's possible to not just slow down species and biodiversity decline, but to reverse it.

Now is the time to demand that commitment.

A nature positive global deal

To be truly nature positive, the deal signed in Montreal in December must:

• Halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2030
  
• Set 2030 goals that will prevent extinctions, recover species populations, and retain and restore habitats
• Protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030 in a fair and effective way
• Set 2030 targets that will reduce the negative pressures humans put on nature globally by 50%, including from pollution and the unsustainable use of natural resources
• Provide the money and resources needed to restore nature, whilst empowering local people and indigenous communities, and holding countries accountable for their actions

Support the campaign

Find out more and support the campaign at https://urgentconversation.org/

Steven Roddy is principal campaigner at RSPB