COP15 - Addressing Biodiversity Loss
In December 2022, the biodiversity-focussed 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), bringing the focus back on nature and putting our planet first. But why is biodiversity loss a problem, and what does the GBF hope to achieve?
Nature is in Crisis
Biodiversity can be defined as “the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms.” It has evolved over 4.5 billion years, yet “humanity is waging war on nature.” Humans have caused significant biodiversity loss through land use, pollution, overexploitation of the planet’s resources, and other unsustainable practices. With one million species at risk of extinction and wildlife populations being decimated by 69% in the last 50 years alone, the concern is clear: nature is in crisis.
However, there are also many anthropogenic (or human-centric) benefits that biodiversity loss threatens. For example, food and water security, energy sources, access to medicines, and many essentials are compromised as biodiversity declines. More than half of the global gross domestic product (GDP) is “moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services.”
Despite this, we continue to unsustainably utilize the Earth’s resources for our profit. Earth Overshoot Day, calculated by the Global Footprint Network, estimates when humans have consumed the natural resources that the Earth can restore in a year (also known as biocapacity). We currently deplete 175% of the Earth’s biocapacity every year, and given current trends, this will only worsen. Last year, we reached Earth Overshoot Day on July 28, 2022. In 2023, if the entire global population lives like the United States or the United Kingdom, we would reach this date on March 13th or May 17th, respectively.
“Making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century. ”
COP15 – Key Decisions
The GBF focuses on tackling biodiversity loss and protecting ecosystems. During COP15, four overarching goals were agreed upon by over 190 countries, including stopping human-led extinction of at-risk species, increasing recognition and sustainable use of biodiversity, encouraging fair distribution of benefits resulting from genetic resources (including Indigenous people and local communities), and ensuring that there is equitable universal opportunity to implement the GBF.
Twenty three global targets were also created, with a deadline of 2030, including protection of at least 30% of the land, coastal areas, and oceans; halving global food waste; reducing the risks of pollution; transparency for risk assessments affecting biodiversity; and creating a $200 billion per year biodiversity fund. Akin to the recent loss and damage fund created during the climate-focused COP27, this will be paralleled from a biodiversity perspective by creating a $30 billion per year fund for developing countries. Therefore, recognizing the importance of equitable and universal action to biodiversity loss and the role that finance plays is a significant step forward.
Is the Grass Greener?
The overall response from COP15 has been mixed. There was tension between developed countries wanting to increase the ambition of the goals and targets, and developing countries wanting to ensure that they would have appropriate resources available to achieve the GBF’s ambitions. Additionally, without interim targets present to act as quantifiable measures in the GBF, there are reservations about whether the goals can be achieved within the deadlines set. Furthermore, Indigenous people contribute to approximately 5% of the global population, yet their land contributes to 80% of global biodiversity. Therefore, Amnesty International has raised concerns that, while the GBF identifies the importance of human rights in conservation, it falls short of protecting Indigenous peoples’ land through lack of formally classifying Indigenous land as conserved area.
COP15 has shifted focus back onto nature and has acknowledged the importance of equity and justice in transforming society into a greener future. However, the next decade will show whether these good intentions are reflected in practice.
