Jamil Chad Lula’s government doesn’t wait to take office and presses the rich for biodiversity deal 12/15/2022 13:40

Even before he comes to power, President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government is playing an international role, putting pressure on rich countries to reach an agreement at this week’s Conference on Biodiversity in Montreal. COP15.

In a letter sent this Thursday to Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and to governments that are part of the agreement, the transition team asked for consideration of the proposal submitted by developing countries.

Lula attended the UN Climate Conference in Egypt last month and has been around as Brazil’s main interlocutor with other countries. His presence angered a more radical wing of the government, while President Jair Bolsonaro also accused the PT candidate of stealing his newspaper. However, the Brazilian president never attended these UN conferences and had no plans to be in Egypt.

Now the transition team would like to clarify its role and position at the meeting in Montreal.

The letter, signed by Jorge Viana on behalf of the transition team, said: “The negotiations currently taking place in Montreal are crucial to reversing the ongoing and unprecedented loss of biodiversity.” “What is at stake is the health of Earth’s ecosystems and species that are in danger of extinction as a result of human actions and behavior,” he said.

According to him, governments aim to address the current global biodiversity crisis by creating a Global Biodiversity Framework that will guide efforts to reshape society’s relationship with nature over the next decade and beyond.

What does the Lula government propose? “For this to happen, all parties must design and secure an ambitious framework to stop and reverse the loss of nature, backed by a comprehensive financial plan,” the letter states.

So money.

Delegations for the new Brazilian government must leave Montreal with “clear quantitative and material commitments from developed country parties to jointly provide and mobilize financial support for the implementation of the Global Framework”.

“However, the current stalemate in negotiations puts this agenda at risk. Without financial resources aligned with the level of ambition of the Global Framework’s goals and objectives, it will not be possible to implement the new structure,” the Lula government warned.

According to Viana, funding proposals submitted by developing countries to secure new and additional funding, particularly for biodiversity-related initiatives, “must be taken seriously”.

“Developing countries hold the overwhelming majority of the world’s biodiversity and play a key role in this agenda. If implemented, the Global Framework will positively transform society’s relationship with biodiversity, in ways that are also favorable to the Development Agenda. Sustainable Development of 2030 ‘ he argued.

The Lula government recognizes that everyone, including developing countries, must do their part. But he warned:

“However, this does not replace the specific responsibilities of developing Parties to provide and mobilize financial resources to support developing Parties, as clearly articulated in Articles 20 and 21 of the Covenant and in accordance with the Rio Principles,” he said.

The letter ends with an appeal and a promise.

“Therefore, we want the spirit of solidarity and cooperation that paved the way for the adoption of CBD in Rio de Janeiro three decades ago to be renewed at Rio-92. Ambition is required in both the goals and objectives of Global. The framework and the financial commitments to meet them.” .

On the other hand, the elected government is signaling its willingness to honor its commitments.

“Brazil will do its part in ensuring and implementing a framework commensurate with the challenges at hand, and we encourage all parties to start over and work for our shared success and common future.”