Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- A high-level panel discussion on the conservation and restoration of biodiversity was held in Samarkand as part of the annual meeting and business forum of the EBRD.

The event brought together politicians, business leaders, representatives of civil society, professional associations and financial institutions to discuss creating markets and accelerating investment in nature.

The discussion was moderated by David Shukman, an international journalist and former science editor for BBC News.

At the panel discussion, Uzbekistan was represented by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Jusipbek Kazbekov. The event was also attended by Vice President for Policy and Strategy of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Sir Danny Alexander, co-founder of KRASS representing civil society Elena Kan, senior expert on biodiversity and natural capital at Arcadis Chantal van Ham.

The urgency of addressing the biodiversity crisis was the central theme of the panel discussion. With habitat loss, environmental degradation and the effects of global warming, the need for sustainable business models that protect and restore biodiversity is greater than ever.

The panel discussion also highlighted the important milestones reached at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biodiversity, the “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework” (GBF), agreed by 196 parties, including Uzbekistan.

GBF sets ambitious goals and targets to take immediate action to reverse biodiversity loss to put nature on the path to recovery by 2030 and to achieve the vision of a “world in harmony with nature” by 2050. Achieving these goals requires concerted action by all levels of government and society.