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Statement by Dr Grethel Aguilar, Director GeneralÌý

International Union for Conservation of Nature (Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥)

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Mr President, we are facing a deepening climate crisis.

Commitments made so far are highly inadequate.

The window of opportunity to limit warming to 1.5 degrees is rapidly closing.

This has serious consequences for both humans and nature alike.

According to Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥â€™s Red List assessments, 44% of the world’s warm water coral species are now at risk of extinction and 50% of global mangrove ecosystems face collapse by 2050.

This is just one example of the devastating impacts of climate change that can have profound implications for communities and economies across the world.

But we know what we need to do: countries must accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels – and protect, conserve and restore nature.

COP29 is the finance COP. We need to leave Baku with a strong New Collective Quantified Goal that is capable of enabling scaled-up action on mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage. It must also provide more support for nature, Indigenous peoples and local communities – and remain firmly gender-responsive.

Nature must be at the heart of everything we are doing here – and to achieve our goals, we need a united front. This calls for stronger synergies across all sectors and generations.

Mr President, the climate crisis is a human rights crisis.

Every day millions of people on this planet – especially the most vulnerable – are suffering and are demanding their right to a healthy environment, to housing, to maintaining their culture, and ultimately to life.

We must act now.

I thank you.