WWF-Canada hails historic Tripartite Nature Agreement in B.C.

WWF-Canada applauds the federal and BC governments and First Nations Leadership Council for negotiating an ambitious, impactful and much-needed billion-dollar Tripartite Nature Agreement that reflects the urgency of this moment, following this year’s record-breaking, climate-fueled fire season.

Importantly, 30X30 isn’t just a catchy slogan. Protecting and restoring 30 percent of the planet by 2030 is a critical tactic to fight biodiversity loss and climate change. Just as these nature crises are intertwined, so are our various levels of governments.

And these nature crises can’t be fully addressed unless provinces and territories act to protect the lands and waters that fall under their jurisdiction. B.C. now joins Nova Scotia and Yukon, who have also signed Nature Agreements over the past year. We’re encouraged by the collaboration, financial investment and, especially, the focus on Indigenous-led conservation which offers more effective stewardship while advancing reconciliation.

These cooperation-powered Nature Agreements will be key to providing a framework to bring federal, Indigenous and provincial leaders together in addressing threats to biodiversity and climate change.

We hope to see this momentum continue and look forward to supporting implementation, including helping Canada achieve its COP15 commitment in the Global Biodiversity Framework to restore 30 per cent of degraded lands by 2030.

“Look after the land, and the land will look after you,” said UBCIC’s Grand Chief Stewart Phillip at the end of the announcement for this historic Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation.

“It’s a collective responsibility.”