World Animal Protection celebrates UN resolution in a step towards recognizing animal welfare's role in global climate crisis, biodiversity and pandemic risk

TORONTO, March 3, 2022 /CNW/ - Simply put, it is a big step in the fight for animal welfare in our world. 

The United Nations Environment Assembly has adopted the Sustainable Development Nexus resolution, sponsored by seven Member States, and championed by Canada. This marks the first time a major UN body has adopted a resolution focused on animal welfare. 

"Canada played an important leadership role at UNEA to bring countries together, build consensus, and secure the agreement on some key resolutions," said Hon. Steven Guilbeault, Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change. "The resolution on animal welfare is a helpful tool to protect biodiversity. Biodiversity loss is happening at an unprecedented rate, and with up to one million species currently at risk of extinction globally, we need collective solutions."

"Animal welfare is fundamentally interconnected to climate change, biodiversity and our collective global health," said Melissa Matlow, Campaign Director with World Animal Protection Canada. "We are grateful to the countries that showed leadership, by bringing this resolution to the floor and for Canada's support and engagement to get this resolution passed and putting animal welfare on the global policy agenda."

The resolution calls on the United Nations to complete an expert report on the links between animal welfare, the environment and sustainable development. Such research will allow animal welfare to become front and centre as part of a comprehensive approach to addressing the climate crisis and biodiversity crisis facing our world by UN institutions.

It also acknowledges the "strong body of science" supporting animal welfare and how animal welfare can contribute to addressing the biggest environmental and public health challenges facing our world.

The resolution supports the One Health approach to policy, where multiple sectors work together and collaborate to address health threats where animals, humans and the environment intersect.

"Prior to the passing of this resolution, there was no dedicated work being done to protect animals and their welfare across the UN policy process," added Matlow. "Today is a major step forward towards grounding animal welfare into the decision-making process at the United Nations."

World Animal Protection has been a global advocate for strengthening animal welfare laws around the world and encouraging governments to recognize improving animal welfare can strengthen our collective ability to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, climate change and prevent disease and future pandemics while helping achieve our sustainable development goals. The global charity worked with a coalition of animal welfare groups to support the seven sponsoring countries in achieving the adoption of this resolution.

Key facts:

• The 2019 Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) report found land-use change, primarily related to industrial livestock production, and wildlife exploitation are major drivers of biodiversity loss.
• The recent Dasgupta review on The Economics of Biodiversity as well as the IPBES Workshop Report on Biodiversity and Pandemics and the UNEP Report Preventing the Next Pandemic highlight that these same drivers are primarily responsible for the emergence of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

About World Animal Protection

From our offices worldwide, including China, Brazil, Kenya, and Canada, we move the world to protect animals. Last year, we gave more than 220 million animals better lives through our campaigns that focus on animals in the wild, animals in disasters, animals in communities, and animals in farming. For more information visit www.worldanimalprotection.ca

SOURCE World Animal Protection