The UN summit on biodiversity, known as COP15, officially begins on December 7 in Montreal. If all goes according to plan, the conference will create a new agreement outlining global biodiversity goals for the next 10 years. The conference is supposed to end on December 19, but negotiations may go into overtime. Here’s what you need to know. The World this Weekend4:45 The UN conference on biodiversity is coming to Montreal The conference’s co-lead negotiator explains why protecting biodiversity goes hand in hand with slowing climate change.
What is the difference between COP15 and COP27?
COP, in United Nations terminology, simply means Conference of the Parties. It is a decision-making body made up of countries that have signed a convention. COP15 is different from the climate change summit, COP27, which was recently held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. This conference was under the umbrella of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Montreal summit, COP15, is a meeting under the Convention on Biological Diversity. In 1992, 150 government leaders first signed this convention at the Rio Earth Summit. While biodiversity and climate change are related issues, the two conventions are separate. This meeting marks the second part of COP15, sometimes referred to as the Nature COP or UN biodiversity summit. The first part was held last year as a mostly virtual conference based in Kunming, China. Although hosted in Montreal, the summit is chaired by China.
Why should you care?
An endangered North Atlantic right whale is seen entangled in fishing line with a newborn calf near Cumberland Island, Ga., on Dec. 2, 2021. The UN biodiversity framework recommends more sustainable management of fisheries in a way that contributes to and restores biodiversity. (Georgia Department of Natural Resources/The Associated Press) The biodiversity summit is a big deal because it is likely to result in a new framework, or agreement, outlining goals for how the world should protect nature and use it more sustainably and fairly. “The food we eat comes from biodiversity, the water we drink comes from biodiversity. The air we breathe [comes from biodiversity]said Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The ultimate goal is to halt biodiversity loss and build a sustainable relationship with nature in response to unprecedented rates of declining nature and species extinction.
Why do we need a new plan?
There is pressure to create a new agreement with better monitoring and funding after countries, including Canada, failed to meet the 2020 targets of the latest biodiversity plan, known as Aichi targets.
Basile Van Havre is helping to broker the negotiations as co-chair of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Open Working Group on a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
“The lesson from the Aichi system is that when you set easy-to-understand numerical targets, they get attention,” he said. “We need to put in place a much more robust system that allows progress to be measured as we go.”
A key goal of the former Aichi Plan was to conserve at least 17 percent of inland and inland waters and 10 percent of coastal and marine areas by 2020.
The new goal under the draft agreement is the much-discussed 30 by 30 goal: conserving 30 percent of land, freshwater and oceans by 2030.
Canada is already committed to this commitment. The latest figures show that Canada has conserved 13.5 per cent of its land and freshwater and 13.9 per cent of its marine territory.
What are the main goals and challenges?
The draft agreement is still full of elements to be negotiated and finalised, but in general the key points include halting the loss of nature, preventing human-caused species extinction, reducing pollution, sustainably managing agriculture and forestry and the fair distribution of the benefits of genetic resources and fair. There have been many calls from various environmental and indigenous groups for the framework to also recognize the leadership of indigenous communities as stewards of nature. “The global community, in seeking to protect 30 percent of lands and waters, is in some way responding to indigenous aspirations for conservation,” said Valérie Courtois, director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative and a member of the Innu community of Mashteuiatsh. Quebec. “We understand that our very survival depends on the health of these landscapes…we know that if we take care of the land, it will take care of us.” Boreal forests, like the one pictured here, help store carbon and clean the air and water. Sustainable forestry practices are one of the topics being negotiated during COP15. (Submitted by Claire Farrell) As for the sticking points in the negotiations, Van Havre said there are three main points: how ambitious the plan should be, how it will be funded and how to ensure progress is measured and reported transparently. “The negotiation will be difficult, no doubt. There is a huge game changer,” he said. “But I haven’t seen anyone say they don’t want a deal.” Asked how likely he thought a deal would be reached by Dec. 19, he said it was possible the talks would go into overtime. “Will we be done by 6pm on the 19th? Maybe not. Will I have granola bars in my pocket that day? A lot.”
Who is attending?
A total of 15,723 people, including government representatives, NGO members and journalists, have registered to attend the UN biodiversity summit in person, although the actual number of people who show up may be lower. While the summit is hosted in Montreal, it is chaired by China. The only head of state expected to attend is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. China will be represented by Environment Minister and COP 15 President Huang Runqiu. Traditionally, world leaders do not participate in biodiversity summits, but instead send ministerial representatives to negotiations. Mrema said that state leaders do not need to attend, as long as they declare their commitment to the process. “Hopefully at the end of the day there will be an agreement, a consensus … that is transformative and ambitious,” he said.
