A new agreement reached at the UN’s COP15 biodiversity summit will ensure that nearly a third of the world’s planet is protected by 2030.
The “last chance” conference in Canada has pledged that 30% to 30% of the world’s land and inland waters will be conserved in the next eight-years.
The pledge will pay special attention to those areas that are important for biodiversity, such as tropical rainforests.
Current protection is in place for 17% and 10% respectively of the world’s marine and terrestrial areas.
Participating countries in the UN diversity conference committed to meeting 23 targets. These included halving the global food waste and eliminating or phasing-out government subsidies that cause harm to nature of more than PS400billion per year by the end.
This follows a late objection by the Democratic Republic of Congo, where delegates raised concerns about contributions of developed nations to conservation funds in developing countries.
The delegation from an African nation suggested that developed countries should “provide resources” for developing nations in order to aid their conservation efforts.
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The deal was approved by Huang Runqiu (Chinese minister of ecology and environmental), on Monday morning.
China was the conference’s chair, but Canada is hosting it due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Some have praised the deal, including Sue Lieberman, Wildlife Conservation Society’s director, who stated that it contained “really good elements”. The Green Party, however, welcomed the agreement but warned that the UK government and other countries must “step up to make these promises a reality”.
Others questioned whether it went far enough. Natural England chair Tony Juniper described the deal as too weak.
He tweeted: “End Game in Montreal, but Plans Too Weak, including 30% Target, which is now not 30% protected at sea and 30% on land, but 30% overall.
“Also, species that are too dependent on extinction and abundance.” Financial ambition must be matched with a stronger commitment to nature recovery.
Will McCallum, the Executive Director of Greenpeace UK, said that governments like the UK, who fought for stronger language within the target’s 30×30 limit, must channel their frustration into following the example set by others.
“We must see ocean sanctuaries properly protected and large swathes managed for nature to show the world how restoring biodiversity unlocks job opportunities in rural and remote areas, keeps food systems resilient, and makes sure that we are better able to withstand climate change’s impacts.”
Marco Lambertini (Director General, WWF International) said: “Agreeing on a global goal that will guide collective action to halt or reverse nature loss by 2030 was an extraordinary feat for those who have been negotiating The Global Biodiversity Framework. It is a win for both people and the planet.
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“It sends out a clear message and must be the launchpad for action by governments, businesses, and society in order to transition towards a natural-positive world and support climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Although he said that the agreement was a “major milestone in the conservation of the natural world”, he warned that the agreement could be undermined by slow implementation or failure to mobilize the promised funds.
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