Harmony with Nature A/RES/73/235 development, and expressing the conviction that, in order to achieve a just balance among the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations, it is necessary to promote harmony with nature, Welcoming the Paris Agreement, 11 and encouraging all its parties to fully implement the Agreement, and parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 12 that have not yet done so to deposit their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, where appropriate, as soon as possible, Noting the importance of ensuring the integrity of all ecosystems, including oceans, and the protection of biodiversity, recognized b y some cultures as Mother Earth, and noting also the importance for some of the concept of “climate justice”, when taking action to address climate change, Noting also that, in promoting a holistic approach to achieving sustainable development in harmony with nature, Earth system science plays a significant role, Expressing concern about documented environmental degradation, potentially more frequent and intense natural disasters and the negative impact on nature resulting from human activity, and recognizing the need to strengthen scientific knowledge on the effects of human activities on the Earth systems, with the aim of promoting and ensuring an equitable, balanced and sustainable relationship with the Earth, Recognizing that a number of countries consider Mother Earth the source of all life and nourishment and that these countries consider Mother Earth and humankind to be a living community of interrelated and interdependent beings, Noting that in recent years there have been many initiatives on sust ainable development governance, including policy documents on living well in harmony with nature, Taking note of the conceptual framework of the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, 13 Noting the adoption and the opening for signature, at United Nations Headquarters, of the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean, known as the Escazú Agreement, the first binding agre ement of its kind, and encouraging its early entry into force as a contribution to sustainable development, Recognizing that gross domestic product was not designed as an indicator for measuring environmental degradation resulting from human activity, nor is it an indicator of development, and the need to overcome these limitations with regard to sustainable development and the work carried out in this regard, Recognizing also the uneven availability of basic statistical data under the three dimensions of sustainable development and the need to improve their quality and quantity, Reaffirming that fundamental changes in the way societies produce and consume are indispensable for achieving global sustainable development and that all countries should promote sustainable consumption and production patterns, with the developed __________________ 11 12 13 18-22558 Adopted under the UNFCCC in FCCC/CP/2015/10/Add.1, decision 1/CP.21. United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1771, No. 30822. See IPBES/2/17. 3/6