Guterres says nature "will not survive on good intentions" as biodiversity goals stall

Four years after nearly every government agreed in Montreal to biodiversity goals—including protecting 30% of the planet for nature, restoring degraded ecosystems, and reforming at least $500bn in harmful subsidies—countries are meeting in Yerevan, Armenia, for COP17 amid warnings that progress has stalled. The article reports that no target has yet been met and governments are set to miss nearly all of them; the UK is on course to reach only three of 23. On the eve of the talks, a report showed how far commitments remain from implementation. UN Secretary-General António Guterres used the report’s release to press for action and later urged leaders to address subsidies, especially fossil fuel support. Scientists cited in the article warn that about one million species face extinction.