For the first time, the United States appointed a special diplomat to advocate for global biodiversity among what policymakers here and abroad are more recognized as an extinction crisis. The Washington Post reports: Monica Medina is taking on a new role as special envoy for biodiversity and aquatic resources, the State Department announced Wednesday. He currently serves as the department’s assistant secretary for oceans and international environmental and scientific affairs. The appointment underscores the desire of the Biden administration to protect land and water not only at home but also to conserve habitats abroad.
“There is a direct connection between biodiversity loss and instability in many parts of the world,” Medina said in a recent phone interview. “It’s not just about nature for nature’s sake. I think it’s about people.” Before the Biden administration, Medina was an adjunct professor at Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and worked as general counsel at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among other government roles. She is the wife of White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain. His appointment comes weeks ahead of a major biodiversity conference in mid-December in Montreal.
The goal of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity — also known as COP-15 — is for countries to reverse the loss of species by adopting an international framework for conserving biodiversity. The effort parallels the 2015 climate talks that yielded the Paris agreement. What the United States wants from the conference: For countries to commit to conserving 30 percent of their land and water area. “We’re looking for ways to achieve that goal, because that’s what scientists say we need to have a healthy planet,” Medina said. A big hurdle: Determining what, exactly, counts as stored in land and water? “That’s part of the discussion, that’s what’s important,” he said. Is the United States doing its part? President Biden has set a goal of conserving nearly one-third of the nation’s land and water by 2030. Protecting ecosystems such as forests and peatlands will help prevent climate-warming carbon from escaping the atmosphere in the first place, he said. said Medina.
“This is a crisis we are facing that is linked to the climate crisis, but also independent and important in itself,” he said. “If we can solve the biodiversity crisis, we have a long way to go to solve the climate crisis.”
