Overconsumption by the rich must be tackled, says acting UN biodiversity chief

A bonobo ape, a primate unique to Congo, at Lola Ya Bonobo sanctuary just outside the DRC capital, Kinshasa. A new fund will help conservation efforts in smaller biodiverse countries around the world. Photograph: Finbarr O’Reilly/Reuters

Governments and businesses must start implementing this decade’s deal to halt the destruction of Earth’s ecosystems as soon as possible, the acting UN biodiversity chief has said, urging rich nations to tackle overconsumption of the planet’s resources.

David Cooper, the new acting executive secretary for the UN convention on biological diversity (CBD), said countries and corporations must immediately act on December’s historic agreement in Montreal, which includes targets to protect 30% of Earth, reform $500bn (£410bn) of environmentally damaging subsidies, and address and disclose the impact businesses have on biodiversity.