Global governments have agreed to new goals aimed at ending biodiversity loss this decade, protecting natural ecosystems, and increasing biodiversity-related financing to developing nations with the adoption of the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted by the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Framework calls for protecting 30% of the Earth’s lands, oceans, coastal areas, and inland waters by 2030, restoring 30% of damaged ecosystems, and doubling resources for environmental protection.
As per the agreement, these countries will take a series of measures against biodiversity loss. Only 17 % of the planet’s land and 10 % of oceans are currently protected.
Biodiversity COP15 as a “Paris Moment”: key features of the Framework
· The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) provides 23 goals the countries need to achieve by the end of this decade.
· 188 governments adopted the new targets to arrest the degradation of terrestrial and marine biodiversity worldwide.
· The Framework provides concrete indicators to assess progress in achieving the targets. The countries are required to monitor and report once every 5 years or less using these indicators.
· Countries are required to allocate 200 billion USD per annum for biodiversity initiatives from both public and private sectors.
· The Framework also aims to protect Indigenous people as they can be essential in protecting biodiversity.
· Framework’s goal includes reducing harmful subsidies provided to industries by at least 500 billion USD per annum. Also, to cut global food waste in half and significantly reduce overconsumption and waste generation.
Elizabeth Mrema, head of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and Canada’s Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault described the conference as a “Paris moment for biodiversity” about the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate action. Under this Agreement, governments promised to develop sufficiently ambitious climate strategies to stave off the worst impacts of climate change.
“Nature and biodiversity are two sides of the same coin – the two go hand in hand. Climate change is negatively impacting biodiversity, and biodiversity is part of the solution to climate change. After decades of ecosystem destruction and plummeting biodiversity, the agreement reached at COP15 provides the framework to halt and reverse these trends. There is no turning back, no excuses for inaction. The direction of travel is clear”.
Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change