On 16 December 2022, during the CBD COP15-2, Dr. Linxiu Zhang, UNEP-IEMP Director was invited by the Global Energy Internet Development Cooperation (GEIDCO) to attend the side event on biodiversity and energy revolution.

On behalf of the United Nations Environment Programme, Director Zhang jointly launched GEIDCO's report "Biodiversity and Revolution of Energy and Electric Power". During her address, Director Zhang reaffirmed UNEP's commitment to promoting the rational use of global resources and advancing environmental sustainability with coordinated responses and systemic solutions to tackle the world's three interrelated and mutually reinforcing planetary crises - biodiversity loss, climate change and environmental pollution. She pointed out that the large-scale development and use of fossil energy since the industrial revolution have contributed significantly to the climate and biodiversity crisis. From a global perspective, energy is on the front line of advancing biodiversity conservation, addressing climate change, and combating environmental pollution. Recognizing the intertwined nature of the environmental crisis and the interconnectedness of all the Sustainable Development Goals, we must embrace linked approaches and collective and transformative action to advance the energy and power revolution and ensure prosperity for all. She also called on all parties to build on the momentum and energy of successive COPs on climate change and biodiversity this year to link policy agendas and actions on the energy, biodiversity and climate nexus, stimulate public and private funding for bioenergy and bioeconomy, and build a multi-stakeholder platform to raise awareness, knowledge and capacity.

Representatives from China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Renmin University of China, World Resources Institute, US Environmental Protection Association, UNDP, World Economic Forum and others participated in the side event.