Creatures United launches during COP15, calls for a Global Deal For Nature

Scientists, industry experts, NGOs, businesses, activists, and political leaders gathered at Goals House on the side-lines of COP15 to launch a campaign and platform, Creatures United, attempting to tackle one of the biggest issues facing our world: the immediate and irreversible threat to Biodiversity. Over one million species are threatened by extinction, and nature is declining globally at unprecedented rates in human history.

As the scientist behind the platform, Dr. Gerardo Ceballos, highlights, “Transformative changes are needed to restore and protect nature, or all life will disappear.” Dr. Gerardo Ceballos’ research demonstrates that we are already experiencing an irreversible sixth mass extinction event, leaving us with a very short window of opportunity to take action.

His work suggests that nearly 50% of the animals that once shared the planet with us have already disappeared.

Biodiversity loss needs urgent action, but unlike the climate COP (Conference of the Parties), which meets yearly, the biodiversity COP meets every ten. Biodiversity takes a back seat to climate change conversations and has a big communications problem, with the media reporting it up to eight times less than climate change. The two global crises are inevitably connected, as biodiversity is an essential part of the solution to climate change, capable of acting as natural carbon sinks to stay in line with 2030 emissions reduction targets.

The creatures were created with renowned environmental artist Yago Partal to develop characters united by a unique, recognizable, and scientifically accurate style, representing multiple natural habitats.

As well as increasing awareness and education, the platform aims to drive meaningful behavior change and raise funds to support biodiversity conservation and storytelling projects. Al MacCuish, Co-founder of Creatures United, said, “We saw a gap in the market and imminent need for a new cultural platform with an urgent purpose. Our vision is to radically drive mass understanding and engagement around the critical issues of species extinction and biodiversity loss via consumer campaigning and field project fundraising. Think ‘Muppets on a Mission, Pixar with a Purpose, Disney with a difference."

While we await the outcomes of the official discussions to set new targets to protect and restore nature under the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity (CBD), Creatures United encourages every citizen to act now by signing the Global Deal for Nature, a petition calling on world leaders to protect and restore half of the Earth’s lands and oceans.