Photo credit: Ivan Mikhaylov from Getty Images
In early autumn, the GRA joined the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC) as an official supporter. HAC is a leading, intergovernmental group of 119 countries united by a shared ambition to implement the global goal of effectively conserving and managing at least 30 percent of the world’s land and ocean by 2030. By joining the HAC, GRA will more easily reach out to key governments in Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America and Oceania with priority messages, science-anchored information (like on Re-Animating the Carbon Cycle) as well as how implementing a rewilding agenda could contribute to meeting the goal of ecosystem functions and services as part of the 30×30 target.
Introduction to the High Ambition Coalition
The HAC was founded in autumn 2019. Costa Rica and France along with the UK, Finland, Gabon, Grenada, and UAE formed a ‘coalition for nature’. Following a ‘pioneer meeting’ held at UNFCCC COP25 in Madrid, the HAC for Nature and People was officially launched at the One Planet Summit for Biodiversity in Paris in January 2021.
Since then, the coalition has grown to today’s 119 countries, with 34 in Africa (incl. Zambia, Mozambique, Kenya, Madagascar, Gabon, DRC, Botswana, Angola – but not South Africa and Zimbabwe), 4 Middle East (incl. UAE), 9 Caribbean (incl. Cuba, Grenada & Jamaica), 3 North America (Canada, Mexico & US), 7 Central America (incl. Costa Rica and Belize), 5 South America (Chile, Colombia, Ecuador but not Argentina & Brazil), 16 Asia (incl. China, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Philippines & Japan), 9 Oceania (incl. Australia & PNG), and 33 Europe (incl. EU, UK, France & Germany). See the list of the national focal points.
An International Steering Committee (ISC) with 15 members provide governance, with Franz Tattenbach, Costa Rica & Christophe Béchu & Hervé Berville, France, as co-chairs and Steve Reed, UK, as “Ocean Champion”.
The HAC Secretariat is hosted by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) in Washington DC and is financed by the governments of France and the UK, Bezos Earth Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies Ocean Initiative & Rainforest Trust.
Although the focus of the HAC is the 30×30 target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework, the HAC also promotes “nature-based solutions within the UNFCCC” and “to put nature on a path to recovery by 2030”.
Other NGO partners/supporters include WWF, IUCN, CI, FFI (Flora & Fauna International), Global Fishing Watch, IIFB (International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity), Re:wild, TNC (The Nature Conservancy) & WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society). UNDP, UNEP & United Nations University are among the international partner institutions.
How did Global Rewilding Alliance link up with HAC?
Guido Saborio, Rewilding Coordinator at OSA Conservation (GRA partner), connected us with the HAC. Guido previously worked for the Costa Rica government together with Mrs. Rita El Zaghloul, now HAC Director. Following a webinar in June with HAC staff, when GRA presented the rewilding/climate work, and a validation by the International Steering Committee in July, the GRA was invited in August to sign a support agreement with HAC.
In the agreement, the GRA highlighted the following aspects:
- The GRA network of over 200 rewilding organisations with global outreach, and our 2023 Collective Impact Report,
- Our work on ACC as well as on other topics (wetlands, invasive alien species, wildfires, etc.),
- Our partnership with UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration,
- Our association with IISD (International Institute for Sustainable Development),
- And a series of specific, potential contributions to the HAC, such as (i) technical assistance (30×30 Matchmaking Platform & Solutions Toolkit), (ii) capacity building (through webinars, etc.), (iii) outreach & communications, (iv) the links between the 30×30 target and cross-sector policies (e.g. on climate), and (v) the potential to increase the coverage and connectivity of PAs and OECMs (Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures) through the GRA network.
How can the GRA network benefit?
- HAC will provide the GRA with an important delivery mechanism to mainstream rewilding, the ACC (like the Climate Wildlife Hotspots), and other concepts globally.
- The 30×30 target emphasises the importance of ecosystem functions and services, which rewilding very much is about.
- The HAC association will enable the GRA to reach out to each of the 119 governments when it comes to promoting a rewilding perspective and its practical work across the world.
- As an official supporter, through the 30×30 Solutions Toolkit, the GRA network can from now on share “relevant resources related to Target 3, such as publications, videos, reports, assessments, policy papers, etc.
- Once we’ve the capacity (such as at Yale), we should also be able to offer our technical assistance, for instance when it comes to ACC assessments, financial support for protecting and restoring climate wildlife hotspots, and others.
HAC also offers collaboration with the other partners and supporters and organizes various political and technical events throughout the year. The HAC support agreement gives us global recognition and credibility, which also should benefit our future collaborative fundraising efforts.
Photo credit: surajps from Getty Images