UN chief calls for more pledges, private sector input to save global biodiversity at Colombia summit

Associated Press

CALI, Colombia (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged delegates at a major biodiversity summit to follow through on pledges to help save global biodiversity and for the private sector to come on board. Guterres spoke at a U.N. biodiversity summit underway since Oct. 21 in Colombia. His comments came a day after countries reached a standstill over how to fund conservation, which experts say needs billions of dollars. The fund currently is around $400 million. The U.N. chief said the state of global biodiversity looks like an “existential crisis,” blaming the destruction of plants, animals and ecosystems on outdated economic models.