In December, at the UN Biodiversity Conference (the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity – COP15), States agreed on a ground-breaking new framework to protect biodiversity - the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, with four goals and 23 targets to slow biodiversity loss by 2030. The targets – many of which focus on strengthening the rights of indigenous peoples, who are key stewards of biodiversity – include:
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effective conservation and management of at least 30 per cent of the world’s lands, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans;
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have restoration completed or underway on at least 30 per cent of degraded terrestrial, inland waters, and coastal and marine ecosystems;
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reduce to near zero the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance;
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ensure benefits from the use of genetic resources and digital sequence information on genetic resources are shared fairly and equitably;
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halve food waste and significantly reduce overconsumption and waste generation;
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halve excess nutrients and the risk posed by pesticides and hazardous chemicals;
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phase out or reform subsidies that harm biodiversity by at least US$500 billion per year;
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mobilize at least US$200 billion per year in domestic and international funding; and
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ensure that companies and financial institutions monitor, assess and disclose their risks, dependencies and impacts on biodiversity.
The Global Environment Facility will set up a special fund to scale up financing to implement the new framework. Another multilateral fund will be established to support the equitable sharing of benefits of digital sequencing information on genetic resources.
Other UNEP-administered conventions on nature also delivered results during the year. For example, in November, Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) adopted proposals to regulate international trade in more than 500 additional species.
