France, Sept. 28 -- Almost five years on from the Paris climate deal, France and dozens of countries on Monday pledged "broad" and "urgent" action to stop the destruction of the world's biodiversity.

In a 10-point plan that comes ahead of this Wednesday's decisive UN nature summit, 64 world leaders sounded the alarm on a "planetary emergency" brought about by the climate and biodiversity crises.

Renewing efforts to reduce deforestation, driving down plastic waste and pollution, and adopting sustainable economic systems are at the heart of reforms to be implemented over the next decade.

While 2020 was dubbed a "super year for nature", the Covid-19 pandemic forced all major climate and biodiversity events -in Glasgow, China and Marseille...