UN urges faster action as world falls behind on nature protection

A dead fish floats in the Mediterranean Sea in the Gador sea reserve, northern Israel, on 29 October, 2022. Climate change, invasive species and human activity are threatening what remains of the eastern Mediterranean's severely impacted ecosystems. © AP Photo/Ariel Schalit

The world is falling behind on its commitments to protect nature, the UN’s biodiversity chief has warned, ahead of a major international conference in Armenia aimed at accelerating action.

Four years ago, nearly all the world's countries agreed to protect 30 percent of the planet’s land and seas by 2030, while wealthy nations pledged to provide developing countries with $30 billion (€26 billion) a year to help safeguard biodiversity.