The UK government has announced the election of Ruth Davis as its first Special Representative for Nature today.
The landmark role signifies the UK’s commitment to international environmental leadership and is being made as the UN Convention on Biological Diversity – COP16, marks its first day in Colombia.
Davis is one of the country’s leading environmental policy experts, with over 25 years’ experience working on nature recovery and climate change issues.
She previously advised the government when it hosted COP26, including helping secure an international pledge to end deforestation, which was signed by 145 countries.
She played a leading role supporting negotiators and ministers and has previously worked with some of the UK’s leading nature organisations, including RSPB and Plantlife.
Special representative for nature
Speaking of her appointment, the special representative for nature said:
“The government has recognised 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.
“I am delighted to be working with colleagues across government, and with partners around the world, to take on this urgent challenge.
“In particular, ensuring that the rules and incentives that govern the global economy work to protect and restore nature; and that we invest in the commitment, knowledge and passion of local people, who are critical to safeguarding the places where they live.”
Her appointment comes as environment ministers from across the globe gather in Columbia to discuss conservation and nature restoration efforts.
COP16 builds on the Global Biodiversity Framework, which was agreed at COP15 in 2022 which was hosted in Montreal, Canada, where over 150 countries signed and committed themselves to halting and reversing environmental decline.
Davis will attend the conference in her current role as a nature advocate as part of the UK delegation led by by environment secretary, Steve Reed, before taking up her new role at the end of the month.
Reed said: “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.
“We depend on nature in every aspect of our lives – it underpins our economy, health and society – and yet progress to restore our wildlife and habitats has been too slow. Ruth’s extensive knowledge and expertise will be vital to help us deliver on our commitments to put nature on the road to recovery.”
Foreign secretary, David Lammy, also responded to Davies appointment:
“One million species are facing extinction, including one third of both marine mammals and coral reefs. And wildlife populations fallen by 73% since 1970, mostly due to a staggering 83% collapse in freshwater species.
“The climate and nature emergency is the most profound and universal source of global disorder.
“I am delighted Ruth Davis is joining to be our first ever UK Special Representative for Nature to help us achieve our goal of a liveable planet for all, now and in the future.”
