Ambitious Financial Commitments Needed in Global Biodiversity Framework; Must be Priority Before December
June 26, 2022
Nairobi, Kenya (June 26, 2022) – Today, Conservation International’s Vice President of International Policy Lina Barrera, issued the below statement following the close of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) negotiations in Nairobi.
The session was meant to advance negotiations on the goals and targets in the GBF that will be adopted at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), now scheduled to take place in Montreal, Canada this December. COP15 has been delayed for two years because of the COVID pandemic.
Barrera said:
“The world needs a transformational agreement in Montreal. Conservation International welcomes the efforts made to advance the Global Biodiversity Framework but calls for an elevated sense of urgency. Even with the two-year delay, progress has been slow. Countries must come to Montreal ready to agree to changes commensurate with the scale of the biodiversity crisis, including stronger financial promises and the robust inclusion of IPLC rights in the final policy.
“The agreement currently lacks the level of ambition needed to address the biodiversity crisis that threatens our survival alongside that of our fellow species. In the months between today and COP15, it is critically important that this disconnect be addressed. Without adequate funding commitments, it is hard to see how an ambitious agreement can become reality in December. It will be a disservice to nature and our own survival if heads of state and financial ministers do not step up and pay attention to this once in a decade opportunity to put ourselves on the path to a healthy environment.
“Last year, more public and private finance was dedicated to climate action than ever before. This year, we need the same level of support for biodiversity. If done right, these investments can ensure the nature we all rely on continues to thrive, helping to solve multiple environmental crises at once.
“There has been some progress on the need to prioritize action in places that provide water, food and climate security. To achieve a nature-positive world by 2030 it is essential that people be at the center of action. Recognition of IPLC rights and access to funding is essential.
“If we can collectively prioritize these key aspects, then humanity will be much closer to a strong Global Biodiversity Framework anchored on human rights and focused on reversing biodiversity loss in a way that benefits us all. We are looking forward to a sense of urgency going into the COP15 to see an ambitious, well-funded and inclusive GBF come December.”
###
About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. Go to Conservation.org for more, and follow our work onConservation News, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
