COP15: Daily highlights – December 14, 2022

Montréal (Quebec) – December 14, 2022

Minister’s thought of the day

“In Canada, we are blessed to have a vast, northern wilderness that is both incomparably beautiful and home to some of Earth’s most precious, untouched natural habitats. The forests and muskeg of Canada’s North are also globally significant carbon sinks, capturing and storing gases in quantities that help regulate Earth’s temperature. Today at COP15, we marked two major events in protecting these incredibly valuable landscapes. Together with the Sayisi Dene First Nation, Northlands Dene Nation, Barren Lands First Nation, O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation and the Government of Manitoba, we’re taking the next step to protecting the Seal River Watershed, one of the world’s largest remaining ecologically intact watersheds, spanning an area roughly the size of Nova Scotia. We also signed the Canada–Yukon Nature Agreement, the first such nature agreement with any province or territory. It puts Yukon on a firm path to protecting 25% of lands and waters by 2025. The ‘true North strong and free’ can’t be just a slogan. By protecting nature, we protect the true value of our heritage.”

– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quote of the day

“I think it’s a wonderful concept to allow us First Nations people to take the lead in preserving and protecting a little piece of earth off for future generations because natural, pristine wilderness is what’s needed in this world. There’s very little of it, and we possess a nice, beautiful watershed that’s worthy of protecting and preserving for future generations, for tourism opportunities… It’s a wonderful idea to let the Aboriginal people deal and work with nature as we’ve always done and to be recognized and acknowledge for it. And I think it’s a beautiful joining of forces to protect a little bit of what’s left of this earth. And we all need to breathe, and we all need to feed our children, and we all need healthy clean water, and that’s what we’re trying to do, and we hope it works.”

– Mr. Ernie Bussidor, Senior Advisor and Founder of the Seal River Watershed Alliance.

Photo of the day

Credit: Environment and Climate Change Canada

Access to the host photographer images can be found here: UN Biodiversity’s albums | Flickr.

Daily event summary: December 14, 2022

• This morning, Minister Guilbeault made a joint announcement with the Government of Manitoba regarding a feasibility assessment for the proposed national park in Seal River Watershed.
  • Read the news release.
• This afternoon, Minister Guilbeault made a joint announcement with the Government of Yukon on protecting and conserving nature Agreement.
  • Read the news release.

Upcoming event summary: December 15, 2022

Event: Opening high-level segment
Time: 10:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m
Location: 5th floor, Room 517, Palais des congrès de Montréal

Event: An action plan to halt and reverse nature loss in Canada: What is required across the country? Minister Guilbeault to provide closing remarks
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Canada Pavilion

Event: High-Level Segment Event on Financing the Global Biodiversity Framework
Time: 3:00 p.m to 3:30 p.m
Location: Place Québec, Palais des congrès de Montréal

For more information on the daily schedule, visit the UN CBD website: Convention on Biological Diversity (cbd.int).