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January 11, 2021 "I believe 2021 will be the year when the world will turn the page for our planet. In a few months, the world will gather in Kunming, China. This COP15 for nature must be like COP21 for climate . We need it to be accompanied by an agreement like the one in Paris. Ambitious, global and revolutionary ".

Thus the president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, speaking at the 'One Planet Summit' for biodiversity in Paris.



"If we do not act urgently to protect our nature, we could already be at the beginning of an era of pandemics," continued the president, adding: "We have talked a lot about the links between biodiversity loss and Covid. But this is not the first, the last or even the most significant example ".

Just think of "how one of the deadliest Ebola epidemics is believed to have begun".



"As we cooperate for our" One planet, "we must work together for our" One health ".

This is why we will prioritize research on 'One Health' "in the Horizon Europe program. And let's be clear: we will invest several hundred million euros over the next four years for research: on biodiversity, animal health, disease emerging and more ", assured von der Leyen.



"Europe is ready to lead the way and I hope others will join us in this effort" on the environment, the EU president wished, announcing that "by the end of 2021" a "new legislation will be proposed to reduce minimum the risk of products linked to global deforestation being placed on the EU market ".

"Being a large economy and commercial superpower comes with responsibilities. It is our duty to ensure that our single market does not drive deforestation in local communities in other parts of the world."



Conte: protecting the planet will be one of the pillars of the Italian presidency of the G20


2021 will be a crucial year for the planet and its preservation will be one of the pillars of the Italian strategy for the G20 presidency.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said this during a videoconference at the 'One Planet Summit' for Biodiversity, organized by France.

"2021 will be a crucial year for the planet", with several international events in the coming months, for example the UN COP26 conference promoted in partnership by the United Kingdom and Italy, recalled Conte, stressing that "concrete steps" must be taken to protect the 'ecosystem.



The pandemic reminds us that destroying the natural habitat of fauna and flora has implications for human health, Conte found.

While "climate change is compromising the objectives of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development".

Italy, as president of the G20, will adopt a "new realistic approach" to "pursue the challenge of climate neutrality", with the reduction of fossil fuels and "environmental challenges".

Conte cited the fight against desertification, the degradation of the oceans and the objective of reforestation as tools to combat climate change.