The fight against biodiversity loss won at the UN conference

This year’s United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Montreal, known as COP15created an agreement that represents a significant effort by countries to protect critical 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. Billed by scientists as an event to “determine the fate of the living world,” the conference was supposed to be held in Kunming, but had to be moved due to COVID-19 concerns.

The new agreement, known as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), includes a commitment to protect 30 percent of land and water for biodiversity by 2030, also known as 30 by 30. 17% of land and 10% of marine areas were to be protected. Many governments failed to achieve these goals.

The Biodiversity Agreement also seeks to attract $200 billion by 2030 and changes to other subsidies that could provide an additional $500 billion. The framework also calls for raising $20 billion annually by 2025 in aid to 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,” Canada’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guillebeault said, according to the Associated Press. 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.”

Progress did not come without problems. Questions over funding created a heated final day of talks, which were met with objections from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to accept the framework. The DRC hoped to establish a new biodiversity fund to support biodiversity and conservation efforts. According to the Guardian, China’s COP15 president appears to have forced the deal during final negotiations.

The deal at COP15 is as follows Another historic agreement signed at COP27 focused on climate The COP27 agreement in Egypt last month compensates poor and developing countries that are often hit by the worst impacts of climate change – although they have the least impact on global warming – with money to better prepare and defend themselves. This comes amid ongoing efforts to get countries to act faster to reduce carbon emissions and switch to renewable energy sources.

Hurricanes and droughts don’t just 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 8 billion peopleConservation of biodiversity will be vital for survival.