The Mexican Alliance for Biodiversity and Business, with the aim of promoting the protection, conservation and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems, was launched last week (17 October 2016) in Mexico City.
Comprised of 15 institutions and 12 companies, the Mexican Alliance for Biodiversity and Business seeks to generate constructive dialogue between conservation organisations, cooperation agencies, institutions and businesses to develop investment mechanisms and projects to protect natural resources and ecosystems, not only as an altruistic action, but as an integral element of the business strategy of businesses.
“I am very pleased that Mexico has established its national business and biodiversity initiative, thereby demonstrating its support for the ongoing work under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to strengthen the engagement of business,” said Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, CBD Executive Secretary. “The involvement of the business sector is crucial to achieving the objectives of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.”
Attending the launch on behalf of the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources for Mexico, Rafael Pacchiano Alamán, the Undersecretary of Development and Environmental Regulation, Cuauhtémoc Ochoa Fernández, praised the commitment of Mexico’s private sector in contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of the country’s natural capital.
Members of the Mexican Alliance for Biodiversity and Business emphasise that biodiversity is the foundation of life on Earth, and therefore sustains economic activity and human welfare, and that conserving and sustainably using genetic resources, species and ecosystems is essential for the long-term prosperity and viability of society and business.
Mexico is hosting the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Cancun between 2 and 17 December 2016 and, as a parallel event, the 2016 Business and Biodiversity Forum will take place on 2 to 3 December 2016. In line with the theme of the UN Biodiversity Conference – the integration of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the plans, programmes and sectoral and intersectoral policies with emphasis on agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism sectors – the Business and Biodiversity Forum will highlight the importance of mainstreaming biodiversity across sectors for the achievement of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011- 2020, its Aichi Biodiversity Targets, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Mexican Alliance for Biodiversity and Business will actively participate in the Business and Biodiversity Forum. It is also expected to join the Global Partnership for Business and Biodiversity established by Parties to the CBD, which allows for the sharing of information and best practices amongst the various member initiatives as well as their constituent organisations.
The creation of the Global Partnership is said to be a concrete signal by Parties to the Convention of their growing understanding that business needs to play a critical role in addressing the global challenge of biodiversity loss.
