Decision Makers丨All People Build a Better Earth

Editor's note: Decision Makers is a global platform for decision makers to share their insights on events shaping today's world. Erik Solheim is former executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

Editor's Note: Decision The Leader is a global platform for policymakers to share their insights on events affecting the world today. Eric Solheim is the former executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme. The article only represents the author's point of view, not the station's point of view.

In order to succeed, environmentalists must establish a people's movement for Mother Earth. One inspiration is the slogan of a "beautiful China."

Environmentalists must call on all humanity Take action and take care of Mother Earth together. Building a "Beautiful China" by the whole people can be regarded as a slogan to motivate them.

When the green community of the world comes together these days in the wonderful city of Montreal, Canada, it will point to a planet in trouble. We have wiped out many important ecosystems over the last decades, incredible species are threatened with extinction and many habitats are in jeopardy. no lack of dire warnings from scientists and activists.

Recently, the Convention on Biological Diversity 》The fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties was held in the beautiful city of Montreal, Canada. Environmentalists from all over the world gathered here to discuss great plans, but at this moment our planet is in trouble. Over the past few decades, human activities have resulted in the loss of many important ecosystems, endangering species and habitats. There will be no shortage of harsh words from scientists and activists.

Hopefully, the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) will deliver positive results. We may see increased targets for conservation of nature and policies to provide a better balance between humans and nature.

I hope this meeting produces produce positive results. We may see more nature protection goals and policies introduced one after another to realize the harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

But in order to put the planet back in good health something more is required: A global people's movement for Mother Earth. Unless we mobilize the love for and spiritual dedication to the beauty of nature, we will never be strong enough.

But to help Mother Earth recover To maintain health, human beings have to make greater efforts, such as calling on all people to build a better earth. If human beings want to become strong enough, they must inspire their own love for the beauty of nature and dedicate themselves to nature conservation.

Government action is indeed needed. Governments will only act if people support and push them. The role of business is also critical. Fortunately, there is some good news to build upon from 2022.

Of course government action is necessary , but government actions cannot be separated from the support and encouragement of the people. Businesses also have a key role to play. Thankfully, in 2022 we have made some progress and can build on it.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was elected president of Brazil and Gustavo Petro of Colombia. The new leaders of the two Latin American rainforest nations ran on programs to stop deforestation and used election campaigns to mobilize their people for the amazing ecosystems. Lula's most specific promise in his acceptance speech was to protect the Amazon and create livelihoods for the people. Petro's running mate Francia Marquez became the first Black Colombian to ascend to the vice presidency, representing indigenous peoples. Marquez has the strongest possible track record from the people's movement for nature.

Luis Inacio Lou La da Silva was elected president of Brazil and Gustavo Petro was elected president of Colombia. During the election campaign, the new leaders of the two Latin American rainforest countries pledged to stop deforestation and campaigned to mobilize people to better protect the Great American ecosystem. In his inaugural speech, Lula made a clear commitment to work hard to protect the Amazon rainforest while providing livelihoods for the people. Petro's running mate, Francia Márquez, became the first Afro-Colombian to hold the vice-presidential position, representing indigenous peoples. In addition, Marquez has always been a loyal practitioner of the concept of "building a beautiful nature with all people".

The small nation of Guyana is another American front-runner. Ten years ago, I cooperated with the then Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo to set up funds to finance green developments while keeping the amazing forests of Guyana intact. Based on that work this month Guyana signed an agreement with the energ y company Hess to bring $750 million in carbon credits for conservation. The most intact rainforest in the world will remain untouched. Bravo!

Guyana is small, but it is Another vanguard of the Latin American environmental movement. Ten years ago, I partnered with then-President Bharat Jagdeo of Guyana to set up a fund to finance green development and keep Guyana's vast tracts of virgin forest intact. Building on this work, the Guyana government signed an agreement this month with the energy company Hess, which will purchase carbon credits worth US$750 million from Guyana, and the relevant funds will be used for local ecological and environmental protection. The world's most intact tropical rainforest will remain untouched by the outside world. Well done!

Another rainforest nation, Indonesia, has It has also been successful recently, mobilizing a mix of good government policies, people's action and the force of business. Results? There was zero deforestation last year. Big business in Indonesia acts as responsible global citizens. RGE, the huge paper and palm oil company, has zero deforestation in its value chains. It even protects the huge rainforest on the island of Sumatra.

Another rainforest country, Indonesia, has recently Quite accomplished, the country effectively combines good policy, popular action and corporate power. So what was the result? Indonesia achieved zero deforestation last year. Indonesia's large companies have demonstrated their responsibility as responsible global citizens. As a large paper and palm oil production company, Singapore Golden Eagle Group has achieved zero deforestation in the entire value chain. The company is even responsible for protecting large tracts of rainforest on the island of Sumatra.

All too often environmentalists have erred on the negative side, describing problems rather than solutions. The pitch for people's attention is failing to mobilize ordinary people. Presentations are complicated with heavy substance and boring power points, lower on emotions or fun or amazement. The main nature document of the l ast 10 years is named to become anonymous, called "Aichi Biodiversity Targets," which is named after a province few outside Japan have ever heard of. "What is biodiversity," my good friend former Prime Minister of France Laurent Fabius once remarked sarcastically. a dangerous disease? Let's rather speak about nature."

Environmentalists are often overwhelmed by negativity Blinded by blindly describing the problem, but unable to give a solution. They only care about attracting the attention of the masses, but fail to mobilize the enthusiasm of the masses. Their presentations are convoluted, filled with dry information, presented with boring slides, and lack empathy, fun, and surprise. Over the past decade, major conservation documents have been named in such a way that they are hard to remember, such as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, named after a Japanese prefecture that few outside Japan have ever heard of . My good friend Laurent Fabius, the former French Prime Minister, once said with some sarcasm: "What is biodiversity? Is it a dangerous disease? To put it more simply, it is nature."< /span>

The slogan of "beautiful China" shows how environmentalist can take the offensive. I love this slogan. It's positive, appealing to our hopes and aspirations. It plays on our love for nature, for the village where you were born, for the forest outside your city or for the mountains where you go on holiday. Additionally, it is patriotic, tapping into our desire to defend the homeland. Beautiful China translates well into beautiful India, beautiful America or beautiful France.

China proposes to build a "beautiful China" , I think this concept shows that environmentalists can take initiative and take action. I personally like this concept because it is full of positive energy and can carry people's hopes and wishes very well. This concept evokes people's love for nature, nostalgia for their hometown, yearning for the countryside and forests, or longing for the mountains and rivers of the resort. Not only that, this concept can also inspire people's patriotic enthusiasm and strengthen people's determination to defend their homeland. China can build a "Beautiful China", and other countries can also build "Beautiful India", "Beautiful America" ​​or "Beautiful France".

The idea of ​​mobilizing for a beautiful China has shown results. China is the biggest tree planter in the world. American space agency NASA confirmed that tree planting in China is the biggest force greening Mother Earth. Chinese President Xi Jinping has promised that China will do tree planting in an area the size of Belgium every year from now to 2030. Kubuqi desert in Inner Mongolia and Saihanba in Hebei province are two examples of greening Chinese landscapes.

The Chinese government mobilizes all people to build a beautiful China is now showing initial results. China is the country with the largest afforestation area in the world. NASA confirmed that China's afforestation activities have greatly improved the greening rate of the earth. Chinese President Xi Jinping has promised that between now and 2030, China will add more forests each year than Belgium. The Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia and Saihanba in Hebei Province are two examples of China's green painting.

A greener China helps animals thrive. Snow leopards are brought back from the brink of extinction in western China and Central Asia. The giant panda is no longer on the list of threatened animals, because their habitats are better protected in Sichuan and beyond. The fishing ban in the Yangtze River and upper Yellow River will bring short-term pain, but long-term gain. Based on our similar experience with temporarily banning fishing of cod and herring in Norway, the fish will come back in abundance when we humans change our behavior.

As China continues to promote green development , animal populations continue to recover. In western China and Central Asia, snow leopards are no longer endangered. Giant pandas have also been removed from the endangered species list because their habitats in Sichuan and elsewhere are better protected. The fishing ban on the upper reaches of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers will bring short-term pain, but long-term success. We also had bans on cod and herring in Norway, and once humans changed their behaviour, the fish populations would grow again dramatically.

One ​​of the most illustrious effects of COVID-19 was that people all over the world experienced nature closer to heart and home. When pollution stopped, citizens of north India could watch the amazing Himalaya mountains for the first time in decades. In American national parks the wards spoke of an animal outcome party. Deer ventured back in Japanese cities, bears and beavers in Europe and penguins walked the streets of Cape Town.

The positive impact of COVID-19 is , People all over the world can experience the nature they yearn for near their homes. When the pollution stopped, residents of northern India saw the majestic Himalayas for the first time in decades. In U.S. national parks, rangers say animals roam the grounds in large groups. Deer haunt Japanese cities, bears and beavers haunt European towns, and penguins walk the streets of Cape Town.

If we mobilize a global people's movement for Mother Earth, we will take nature back. Future generations will enjoy a harmonious coexistence of people and nature.

If we can mobilize all people to build If the earth is beautiful, then we will restore nature to its original appearance, and future generations will realize the harmonious coexistence between man and nature.