Historic agreement to combat biodiversity loss signed at UN conference

A historic agreement was reached at the United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Montreal, Canada, on Monday, marking the most important effort by countries to protect vital lands and waters with the goal of halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity.

“We have a package in hand that I think can guide us as we work together to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and put biodiversity on the path to recovery for the benefit of all,” said Huang Ranqiu, China’s environment minister. People of the world, we work.” , as by Associated Press. We can be really proud.”

China presides over COP15.

The agreement includes a commitment to protect 30 percent of the land and water it says is important for biodiversity by 2030, also known as 30 by 30. Currently, 17% of land and 10% of marine areas are protected.

The deal at COP15 in Canada is as follows Another historic agreement signed at COP27 Last month in Egypt, Egypt agreed to give poor and developing countries, which often suffer the worst effects of climate change – even though they have the least impact on global warming – with money to better prepare and defend themselves in It compensates for climatic events and their widespread effects. As scientists urge countries to act quickly to reduce their carbon output and switch to renewable energy, it is prompting governments to set targets to save the planet from climate catastrophe. Of course, this would require massive efforts by the country to target those goals. Due to rising energy demand and the war in Ukraine, the world is on fire This year, there was 1.2% more coal than 2021.

Hurricanes and droughts will not only affect humans. A 2020 study stated this Almost half of the world’s animal and plant species will be extinct by 2070. Man It depends on 50,000 wild species For food, fuel and income. And with the global population now Eight billionprotection of biological life will be vital for survival.

The Biodiversity Agreement at COP15 calls for raising $200 billion by 2030 and changing other subsidies, which could provide an additional $500 billion. The framework also calls for raising $20 billion annually by 2025 through investment in poor countries. Funds will increase to $30 billion annually by 2030.

“Many of us wanted more in the text and more ambition, but we got an ambitious package,” said Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Steven Guilbolt. He said he was surprised the 30-by-30 was signed in Montreal. “We have an agreement to stop and reverse biodiversity loss, work on restoration and reduce pesticide use. This is tremendous progress.”