Res 1567-2021

By Council Members Rosenthal, Gennaro, Cornegy, D. Diaz, Menchaca, Lander, Louis and Ayala Whereas, On September 30, 2020, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General expressed that "Wildlife populations are plummeting because of overconsumption, population growth and intensive agriculture," emphasizing that "biodiversity and ecosystems are essential for human progress and prosperity" during the UN Biodiversity Summit hosted in New York City; and Whereas, The loss of biodiversity means the loss of ecosystems and ecological life that provide oxygen, clean air and water, and pollination for plants to enable a sustainable habitat for life, according to the New York State Department of Parks & Recreation; and Whereas, Growing urbanization in the metropolitan region has elevated climate change, endangering crop yields and fishery productivity in New York, according to Columbia University's Earth Institute; and Whereas, According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, food security, health and nutrition, are all dependent on biodiversity; and Whereas, According to City Harvest, food insecurity in New York City has risen 38 percent in 2020; and Whereas, New York City must incorporate biodiversity planning into the city's resiliency and green infrastructure efforts in order to maintain a sustainable living environment and combat ecological threats, according to the American Institute of Biological Sciences; and Whereas, The UN Convention on Biological Diversity is a multinational treaty that calls on its signatories to conserve biodiversity, as it underpins essential ecosystem functioning; and Whereas, The importance of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity is further supported by the fact that it has been ratified by all UN member states, with the United States being the only exception; and Whereas, As climate change continues to impact wildlife, agriculture and urban landscape in New York City and beyond, the United States must reaffirm its commitment to the conservation of biodiversity ahead of the 2021 UN Summit on Biodiversity; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the United States Senate to ratify, and the President to sign, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. AH LS #17175 03/11/2020 1