UK appoints 1st nature envoy to lead global efforts on biodiversity crisis

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - The UK government on Monday appointed Ruth Davis, a distinguished environmental campaigner, as its first-ever special representative for nature.

Described as "the environmentalist’s environmentalist," Davis will spearhead international efforts to halt the alarming decline in biodiversity, a key global issue that has reached a critical point.

"The government has recognized that the nature crisis is of equal gravity to the climate crisis; and that we cannot tackle one without addressing the other. Ecosystems and the species they support are essential to maintain food security, reduce health risks and manage the impacts of rising global temperatures," Davis said in a statement.

Davis' first major task as nature envoy is her participation in two weeks of crucial biodiversity talks in Colombia.

These discussions are expected to shape the global response to the biodiversity crisis, with the UK aiming to position itself at the forefront of the fight against environmental collapse.

Davis is widely respected for her work, having played an instrumental role in drafting a landmark global deforestation pledge during the UN COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in 2021.

Davis will report directly to the UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Environment Secretary Steve Reed.

"We cannot address the nature and climate crises without coordinated global action. That is why we have appointed Ruth as our special representative for nature – a landmark first – who will champion our ambition to put climate and nature at the heart of our foreign policy," Environment Secretary Steve Reed said in a separate statement.