The United Nation’s biodiversity conference known as COP15 ended on Monday in Montreal, Canada, with delegates reaching a deal some stakeholders have called historic and one some others feel isn’t enough. Participating countries committed to protecting 30 per cent of the world’s biodiversity and territories by 2030.
Negotiators in Montreal have adopted a new agreement aimed at halting the destruction of nature and beginning to repair the damage.
Here are six of the main commitments in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
30 by 30
The major goal set before participating countries go into the summit is getting all of them to agree to ensure a form of conservation for 30 per cent of the world’s land, water, coast and marine areas by 2030. Another target in the agreement stipulates that at least 30 per cent of degraded ecosystems need to be in the process of being restored by the end of the decade.
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Financing
The 30 by 30 agreement calls on countries to mobilize significant financial resources to fund nature promises, including commitments to raise US$200 billion per year from all public, private, and philanthropic sources, and US$30 billion in annual aid from richer countries to developing ones by 2030.
Also, countries are being tasked to reduce subsidies to harmful industries, such as unsustainable agriculture, industrial fishing and oil and gas, and redirect them to more sustainable practices — a US$500 billion pledge.
Business Accountability
Going on, governments are expected to take measures that would see them ensure large businesses and financial institutions monitor and disclose the impact of their activities on nature. Businesses are also expected to comply with regulations in place to reduce negative impacts on biodiversity and provide information to consumers to promote sustainable consumption choices.
Equity
To make for an all-inclusive decision-making process and provide access to justice and information, while also respecting the cultures, land rights and traditional knowledge, countries are expected to ensure Indigenous people and local communities are well represented and involved, ensuring women, youth, and people with disabilities are also included. A separate target calls on countries to ensure gender equality in the implementation of the framework.
Pollution and pesticides
Signatories are asked to reduce the negative impact of pollution from all sources to levels that aren’t harmful to nature by 2030. That includes having the “overall risk” from pesticides and hazardous chemicals by the end of the decade and working to eliminate plastic pollution.
Consumption
Governments are committing to helping people make sustainable consumption choices through policy, regulation and education. By 2030, they are agreeing to reduce the global footprint of consumption in an equitable manner and cut global food waste in half.
Story adapted from Global News.
