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Al Unwin, NC’s Dean of Business, Tourism and Environment, was in Switzerland this March for the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Unwin was among delegates from around the world who advocated for the health of the planet. “Biodiversity loss is a critically important global issue and the intent of this convention is to slow and halt the ongoing loss of species on the planet,” said Unwin. “The planet’s loss of biodiversity has the potential to be disastrous to the global community, as many living organisms provide life support for the human race.” The two-week gathering from March 13 to 29 – delayed for two years due to the pandemic – addressed how countries can mitigate the extinction of vulnerable specifies, navigate the rise of new viruses like the COVID-19, and minimize the impact to the lives of people, particularly Indigenous peoples.

Amazing experience this past couple of weeks to be part of the Canadian delegation sent to Geneva to try and achieve consensus on the Global Biodiversity Framework – Goals and Targets that will hopefully stem the loss of nature! Lots left to be done. t.co/BIRK4ZrOBN

— Alan J. Unwin (@alunwin) March 31, 2022

Unwin explained just how critical biodiversity loss is by comparing it to climate change, which, while also critical, has a focus on mitigation (strategies to lower CO2 levels) and adaption (strategies to live in a hotter world). “With biodiversity loss, there is no adaption option. Once a species is gone, they are gone.” Unwin explained this with the loss of pollinators, which could set off a sequence of events that could eliminate the majority of the planets food supply that are reliant on pollination. Unwin was invited to join the Canadian delegation – made up of federal government officials and non-government officials – who presented the Canadian position on the new draft Global Biodiversity Framework. Unwin advised on targets related to the restoration of 20 per cent of the degraded ecosystems globally. This new framework aims to guide actions worldwide through 2030, to preserve and protect nature and its essential services to people.

Our relationship with nature is broken. To fix it, we need a new blueprint.

From 14 to 29 March, the Open-ended Working Group is meeting in Geneva to advance progress on the development of the #post2020 global #biodiversity framework. t.co/DeyEDBbdTM pic.twitter.com/20ImpikQVU — UN Biodiversity (@UNBiodiversity) March 14, 2022

The UN gathering was particularly relevant in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which experts assert is also an attack on the environment in the region with damage to biodiversity on a grand scale. “This international agreement will increase the amount of work required globally in the field of ecological restoration, which will in turn benefit graduates from Niagara College’s Ecosystem Restoration program for decades to come. The world needs more of our graduates to enact the work identified in the Global Biodiversity Framework,” said Unwin. “It is an honour and a privilege to be able to participate and contribute to this process and to be selected to be part of the Canadian delegation. It is certainly a highlight of my career to this point,” said Unwin. Following the March convention, the framework will be presented for consideration at next UN Convention on Biological Diversity meeting of its 196 Parties in Kunming, China in August 2022.