Agreement reached at major UN biodiversity conference.
The two-week United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan has concluded on a successful note, thanks to the marathon talks of representatives hailing from over 190 nations who worked together for 10 days seeking ways to better protect the planet’s ecosystem and endangered species.
Among the participants was Oscar-nominated US actor, producer, and board member of the group Conservation International, Harrison Ford, who urged leaders to take action.

Harrison Ford, Oscar-nominated US actor & producer, Conservation International Board member (M): I think it’s in our own human self-interest to put national interests aside to the extent that it’s necessary and possible, and come together on an international basis to support biodiversity – it is the foundation of life on Earth.
It’s in the interest of every nation, the community of nations, to come together and focus on a very time-critical issue.

VOICE: After discussing late into the night of Friday, October 29, delegates finalized a 20-point Strategic Plan to protect 17% of the world’s land and 10% of the oceans by 2020.
Currently, only about 12.5% of land and less than 1% of oceans are protected. To achieve these new objectives, wealthier nations committed to financially assist less developed nations in necessary measures for reducing pollution, over-exploitation, and habitat destruction.

However, despite the success of their accord, some scientists and other concerned advocates pointed out that these goals are not large enough and that other measures, such as a change in human diet, are key to the crucial conservation of Earth’s wildlife and resources.

In fact, studies presented by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) revealed that reducing meat consumption would be among the single-most effective ways to more quickly halt biodiversity loss.

Furthermore, it was found that combining the plant-based diet with other nature preservation initiatives could bring even greater ecological and economic benefits.

Supreme Master Television (F): Supreme Master Television. My question is: UN mentioned in a recent report that a plant-based diet is an immediate solution for it. How can we cooperate
with each other to attain this goal?

Achim Steiner – Executive Director, UN Environment Program (UNEP) (M): You are referring to the overall question of consumption footprints on our planet. It’s much of the work that UNEP, by drawing on the signs related to agriculture, the consumption patterns, production patterns brings out.

What is quite clear that we are, as we look toward the linked issues of loss of biodiversity, ecosystems, food security, carbon emissions associated with the agricultural sector and the livestock sector, we also have an opportunity here to change, in a sense, a number of impacts.

Dr. Ann Larigauderie - Executive Director, DIVERSITAS (F): For example being more vegetarian would be a major contribution to the biodiversity problem. There are others, but that would be a big one. In fact, there is a really high environmental cost in eating meat. It would be much more efficient to eat lower n the food chain, that is, for more people to be vegetarians.

VOICE: Our gratefulness, Dr. Larigauderie, Executive Director Steiner, Mr. Harrison Ford, and all participants at this pivotal meeting for your dedication to safeguarding the inhabitants of our precious Earth. May the most constructive policies quickly be adopted to save all natural species and thus humankind, starting from the immediately effective, sustainable vegan lifestyle. As in this April 2009 videoconference in South Korea, Supreme Master Ching Hai has often pointed out that the most time- and cost-feasible solutions also consider the survival of all lives.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/10/29/un.biodiversity.summit.conclusion/index.html?
hpt=T2
http://www.france24.com/en/20101029-japan-un-biodiversity-environment-conference-planet-species http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11655925
http://www.france24.com/en/20101029-japan-un-biodiversity-environment-conference-planet-species

Extra News
An analysis of Antarctic ice cores by Australian researchers reveals that unprecedented snowfall in the Antarctic has occurred in the same timeframe as a period of significant drought in Australia, with both being linked to human-caused climate change.

http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20102610-21492.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencealert-latestnews+%28ScienceAlert-Latest+Stories%29,
http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/wa-drought-boosts-snow-in-antarctica.htm

As staple food costs reach their highest in two years, United Nations scientists forewarn of a global food crisis, with increasing food shortages and record prices.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/oct/25/impending-global-food-crisis?intcmp=122 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/sep/24/food-crisis-un-emergency-meeting-rome