At the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), India emphasized the challenges faced by developing nations in meeting conservation targets and advocated for the establishment of a dedicated fund to assist them.
ABOUT COP-15
- The 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity represents a pivotal event in biodiversity discussions.
- It aspires to secure a landmark agreement to arrest and reverse biodiversity loss, comparable to the significance of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
- The specific commitments include limiting the global average temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and striving to restrict the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
- The adoption of the “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework” (GBF) marked a crucial development, outlining four goals and 23 targets to be achieved by 2030.
- The U.N. biodiversity conference concluded in Montreal, Canada.
- The GBF includes 4 goals and 23 targets for achievement by 2030. The U.N. biodiversity conference concluded in Canada’s Montreal.
- The first part of COP 15 took place in Kunming, China, reinforcing the commitment to address the biodiversity crisis, and the Kunming Declaration was adopted by over 100 countries.
KEY TARGETS OF GBF?
30×30 Deal:
- Restore 30% degraded ecosystems globally (on land and sea) by 2030.
- Conserve and manage 30% areas (terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine) by 2030.
- Stop the extinction of known species, and by 2050 reduce tenfold the extinction risk and rate of all species (including unknown).
- Reduce risk from pesticides by at least 50% by 2030.
- Reduce nutrients lost to the environment by at least 50% by 2030.
- Reduce pollution risks and negative impacts of pollution from all sources by 2030 to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity and ecosystem functions.
- Reduce the global footprint of consumption by 2030, including through significantly reducing overconsumption and waste generation and halving food waste.
- Sustainably manage areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry and substantially increase agroecology and other biodiversity-friendly practices.
- Tackle climate change through nature-based solutions.
- Reduce the rate of introduction and establishment of invasive alien species by at least 50% by 2030.
- Secure the safe, legal and sustainable use and trade of wild species by 2030.
- Green up urban spaces.
MAJOR OUTCOMES OF COP15
Money for Nature:
- Signatories aim to ensure USD 200 billion per year is channeled to conservation initiatives, from public and private sources.
- Wealthier countries should contribute at least USD 20 billion of this every year by 2025, and at least USD 30 billion a year by 2030.
Big Companies Report Impacts on Biodiversity:
- Companies should analyze and report how their operations affect and are affected by biodiversity issues.
- The parties agreed to large companies and financial institutions being subject to “requirements” to make disclosures regarding their operations, supply chains, and portfolios.
Harmful Subsidies:
- Countries committed to identifying subsidies that deplete biodiversity by 2025, and then eliminating, phasing out, or reforming them.
- They agreed to slash those incentives by at least USD 500 billion a year by 2030 and increase incentives that are positive for conservation.
Monitoring and reporting progress:
- All the agreed aims will be supported by processes to monitor progress in the future, preventing this agreement from meeting the same fate as similar targets agreed in Aichi, Japan, in 2010, and never met.
- National action plans will be set and reviewed, following a similar format used for greenhouse gas emissions under U.N.-led efforts to curb climate change. Some observers objected to the lack of a deadline for countries to submit these plans.
HOW INDIA PRESENTED DEMANDS AT THE CONFERENCE
- India emphasized the urgent need to create a new and dedicated fund to help developing countries successfully implement a post-2020 global framework to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.
- Currently, the Global Environment Facility, catering to multiple conventions, including the UNFCCC and UN Convention to Combat Desertification, remains the only source of funding for biodiversity conservation. India also asserted that conservation of biodiversity must be based on ‘Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities’ (CBDR), as climate change also impacts nature.
- According to India, developing countries bear most of the burden of implementing the targets for conserving biodiversity and, therefore, require adequate funding and technology transfer.
FAQs – COP15 of UNCBD
1-What is COP15, and why is it significant in the context of biodiversity?
A: COP15 refers to the 15th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD). It is a crucial event in biodiversity discussions, aiming to secure a landmark agreement to address and reverse biodiversity loss, similar to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
2-What are the specific commitments made at COP15 to the UNCBD?
A: The commitments include limiting the global average temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and striving to restrict the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The adoption of the “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework” (GBF) marked a significant development, outlining four goals and 23 targets to be achieved by 2030.
3-What are the key targets outlined in the GBF adopted at COP15?
A: The key targets include the 30×30 Deal, aiming to restore 30% degraded ecosystems globally by 2030, conserve and manage 30% areas (terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine) by 2030, and various other targets related to reducing risks, pollution, and addressing climate change through nature-based solutions.
4-What are the major outcomes of COP15 apart from the GBF targets?
A: Significant outcomes include commitments to ensure USD 200 billion per year for conservation initiatives, with wealthier countries contributing at least USD 20 billion annually by 2025 and USD 30 billion by 2030. Large companies are now required to report how their operations affect biodiversity. Countries have committed to identifying and reforming harmful subsidies and implementing processes to monitor progress.
5-How does COP15 address the financial needs of developing countries for biodiversity conservation?
A: India, at COP15, emphasized the urgent need to establish a dedicated fund to assist developing countries in implementing post-2020 global frameworks for biodiversity conservation. Currently, the Global Environment Facility is the primary source of funding, catering to multiple conventions.
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