STATEMENT: Conservation International Chief Field Officer on G20 Leaders' Declaration
November 18, 2024
ARLINGTON, Va. (Nov. 18, 2024) – Rachel Biderman, Conservation International's Chief Field Officer and Senior Vice President for the organization's Americas Field Division, issued the following statement in response to the Group of 20's (G20) latest Leaders' Declaration. The Declaration was delivered from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the G20 summit opened on Monday.
Biderman said:
"This week’s declaration from the G20 in Rio de Janeiro is a show of strength from the world’s largest economies, reinforcing the need for comprehensive and immediate action on social inclusion, sustainable development and climate and biodiversity. The message is clear: there is no room for bad-faith neglect or half measures when it comes to investing in our planet."Leaders emphasized the urgency of halting and reversing deforestation by mobilizing funds and significantly scaling up climate finance—from billions to trillions—across all sources, with direct support for Indigenous peoples and local communities. They called for strengthening the bioeconomy to foster sustainable economic growth, enhancing international collaboration to protect our oceans, and accelerating an economic transition that rewards environmental protection rather than destruction. Leaders also recognized Brazil’s leadership in creating the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), highlighting it as an innovative tool for forest conservation.
"These timely affirmations are encouraging as negotiators at COP29 work toward establishing a new collective quantified goal for climate finance. However, leaders missed a critical opportunity to reinforce the importance of phasing out fossil fuels, a commitment every country agreed to at COP28.
"While we cannot gamble our future on the whims of political consensus, we cannot neglect its importance either. This declaration is a testament to Brazil’s capacity to lead , and we hope it serves as a harbinger of what’s to come. Next year’s COP30 in Brazil is a pivot point for nature and the billions who depend upon it, and we have tremendous faith in the Brazilian government’s capacity to help re-center nature and livelihoods in the global agenda."
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About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. Visit Conservation.org for more, and follow us on Conservation News, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
