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“We are proud to be organising Nature Day at COP29 alongside the COP Presidency. I am convinced that our pursuit to align climate action and biodiversity conservation to realise a nature-positive future and the goals of the Paris Agreement is well within reach.��Nevertheless, the journey ahead remains challenging, requiring that the momentum��generated through dialogues like today’s be sustained and strengthened,” said ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Director General Dr Grethel Aguilar.

“This dialogue serves as a platform to showcase successful initiatives, inspire strong commitments and foster cooperation. It is an opportunity to address the interconnected crises of climate and biodiversity loss in integrated and transformative approaches. The COP29 Presidency appreciates your commitment,” said COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev at the Global Leaders Dialogue event held as part of Nature Day.��

The day, focusing on Nature and Biodiversity, Indigenous Peoples, Gender Equality, Oceans and Coastal Zones, convened leaders from government, international organisations, Indigenous peoples’ organisations as well as the public and private sectors.��

The session titled ��brought together leaders from across society to strengthen collective nature conservation and climate action, and showcased innovative strategies and partnerships. The event was co-organised by ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��, the COP29 Presidency, and the International Dialogue for Environmental Action (IDEA) Public Union, an ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Member.����

“I have a positive feeling that this COP will be much more about action. Our organisation, IDEA, was created with the goal to restore our nature and protect it. Since then, we have been implementing creative projects to achieve our goal,” said Founder of IDEA Public Union Leyla Aliyeva.

Other high-level speakers took part in the session, including UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28 ���Ի���������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� President Razan Al Mubarak,��UN Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity Astrid Schomaker, ���Ի���High-Level Champion for COP29 Nigar Arpadarai, among others.

“What a journey we have taken since last year at COP28 in the UAE. We saw governments make the unprecedented decision in the UAE Consensus to recognise that the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework must be implemented together if the goals of either agreement are to be realised,” said UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28 ���Ի���������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� President Razan Al Mubarak, speaking at the Global Leaders Dialogue session. “The next 12 months leading to COP30 are critical for this "nexus agenda." We will carry forward the spirit of Cali, through Baku, and onwards to Belem.”��

Several environment ministers participated the second part of the Dialogue, including Ministers Yasmine Fouad of Egypt, Steffi Lemke of Germany, Mary Creagh of the UK, and Saldan Odontuya of Mongolia. A number of public and private sector leaders and representatives also spoke at the event.

Also in the context of COP29 Nature Day, a highlighted the role of Indigenous peoples and local communities’ traditional knowledge and how it can address climate and biodiversity challenges. Leaders of Indigenous peoples’ organisations and local communities emphasised the vital importance of their traditional knowledge in safeguarding critical ecosystems and protecting nature.

Nature Day also featured a on the topic of harnessing climate finance to help preserve and restore forests.

A celebration of the 60th anniversary of the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Red List of Threatened Species marked 60 years of impact of the “barometer of life.” The day closed with a reception for ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Members.

COP29 is the second of three global summits occurring this year on the three key environmental conventions: biodiversity, climate change, and desertification. ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� leaders and staff attended COP16 of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Cali, Colombia in October, and are now taking part in the climate change talks in Baku. ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� has been pushing for states to pledge ambitious plans to keep to the 1.5°C temperature-rise threshold under the Paris Agreement, and emphasising the role of nature in addressing climate change.

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