COP15 delegates have been able to build consensus around the most ambitious target of protecting 30 per cent of the world's land and seas by the decade's end. Photo: Getty
Gloria Dickie and Isla Binnie Dec 20
A United Nations summit has approved a landmark global deal to protect nature and direct billions of dollars toward conservation but objections from key African nations, home to large tracts of tropical rainforest, held up its final passage.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, reflecting the joint leadership of China and Canada, is the culmination of four years of work toward creating an agreement to guide global conservation efforts through 2030.
The countries attending the UN-backed COP15 biodiversity conference had been negotiating a text proposed on Sunday and talks addressing the finer points of the deal dragged on until Monday morning.
Delegates were able to build consensus around the deal’s most ambitious target of protecting 30 per cent of the world’s land and seas by the decade’s end, a goal known as 30-by-30.
The deal also directs countries to allocate $US200 billion ($298 billion) per year for biodiversity initiatives from both public and private sectors.
Developed countries will provide $US25 billion ($37 billion) in annual funding starting in 2025 and $US30 billion ($45 billion) per year by 2030.
The agreement, which contains 23 targets in total, replaces the 2010 Aichi Biodiversity Targets that were intended to guide conservation through 2020. None of those goals were achieved, and no single country met all 20 of the Aichi targets.
Unlike Aichi, this deal contains more quantifiable targets — such as reducing harmful subsidies given to industry by at least $US500 billion ($A746 billion) per year — that should make it easier to track and report progress.
More than one million species could vanish by the century’s end, from plants to insects, in what scientists have called a sixth mass-extinction event. As much as 40 per cent of the world’s land has been degraded, and wildlife population sizes have shrunk dramatically since 1970.
Investment firms focused on a target in the deal recommending that companies analyse 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 – but the word “mandatory” was dropped from previous drafts.
Division over how to fund conservation efforts in developing countries led to fiery negotiations at the end.
With China holding the COP15 presidency, Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu appeared to disregard objections from the delegation of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, declaring the deal passed minutes after they said they were not able to support it.
A Congolese representative argued that developed nations should create a separate fund to help support conservation efforts in developing countries.
Mr Huang declared shortly after 3.30am that the deal was agreed, drawing outrage from other African delegates.
– AAP
A United Nations summit has approved a landmark global deal to protect nature and direct billions of dollars toward conservation but objections from key African nations, home to large tracts of tropical rainforest, held up its final passage.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, reflecting the joint leadership of China and Canada, is the culmination of four years of work toward creating an agreement to guide global conservation efforts through 2030.
The countries attending the UN-backed COP15 biodiversity conference had been negotiating a text proposed on Sunday and talks addressing the finer points of the deal dragged on until Monday morning.
Delegates were able to build consensus around the deal’s most ambitious target of protecting 30 per cent of the world’s land and seas by the decade’s end, a goal known as 30-by-30.
The deal also directs countries to allocate $US200 billion ($298 billion) per year for biodiversity initiatives from both public and private sectors.
Developed countries will provide $US25 billion ($37 billion) in annual funding starting in 2025 and $US30 billion ($45 billion) per year by 2030.
The agreement, which contains 23 targets in total, replaces the 2010 Aichi Biodiversity Targets that were intended to guide conservation through 2020. None of those goals were achieved, and no single country met all 20 of the Aichi targets.
Unlike Aichi, this deal contains more quantifiable targets — such as reducing harmful subsidies given to industry by at least $US500 billion ($A746 billion) per year — that should make it easier to track and report progress.
More than one million species could vanish by the century’s end, from plants to insects, in what scientists have called a sixth mass-extinction event. As much as 40 per cent of the world’s land has been degraded, and wildlife population sizes have shrunk dramatically since 1970.
Investment firms focused on a target in the deal recommending that companies analyse 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 – but the word “mandatory” was dropped from previous drafts.
Division over how to fund conservation efforts in developing countries led to fiery negotiations at the end.
With China holding the COP15 presidency, Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu appeared to disregard objections from the delegation of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, declaring the deal passed minutes after they said they were not able to support it.
A Congolese representative argued that developed nations should create a separate fund to help support conservation efforts in developing countries.
Mr Huang declared shortly after 3.30am that the deal was agreed, drawing outrage from other African delegates.
– AAP
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