COP 15 on Conservation of Biological Diversity at Montreal’ (Special)
- Category
Ecology and Environment
- Published
23rd Dec, 2022
-
Context:
At Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the COP15 biodiversity conference in Montreal, India highlighted the burden of implementing the targets for conservation on developing nations and the need for a dedicated fund to help them.
About
About COP-15
- The 15th Conference of Parties COP15, to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, is the most important gathering on biodiversity in a decade.
- It aims at achieving a historic deal to halt and reverse biodiversity loss on par with the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. Its precise commitment is:
- Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2? above pre-industrial levels
- To pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5? above pre-industrial levels.
- “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework” (GBF) was adopted. GBF includes 4 goals and 23 targets for achievement by 2030.
- The U.N. biodiversity conference was concluded in Canada Montreal.
What are the Key Targets of the GBF?
- 30x30 Deal:
- Restore 30% of degraded ecosystems globally (on land and sea) by 2030.
- Conserve and manage 30% of areas (terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine) by 2030.
- Stop the extinction of known species, and by 2050 reduce tenfold the extinction risk and rate of all species (including unknown)
- Reduce risk from pesticides by at least 50% by 2030 Reduce nutrients lost to the environment by at least 50% by 2030
- Reduce pollution risks and negative impacts of pollution from all sources by 2030 to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity and ecosystem functions
- Reduce the global footprint of consumption by 2030, including through significantly reducing overconsumption and waste generation and halving food waste
- Sustainably manage areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry and substantially increase agroecology and other biodiversity-friendly practices
- Tackle climate change through nature-based solutions
- Reduce the rate of introduction and establishment of invasive alien species by at least 50% by 2030
- Secure the safe, legal and sustainable use and trade of wild species by 2030
- Green up urban spaces
Key points highlighted by India:
- Resource Mobilization Mechanism: There is a need to create a new and dedicated fund to implement a post-2020 Global Biodiversity framework (GBF)to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.
- It will ensure effective implementations of the post-2020 GBF by all countries.
- Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities' (CBDR) must be the basis of the conservation of biodiversity.
- Cost and the burden of environmental recovery fall disproportionatelyon the countries that can least afford them
- Need to put in place a Resource Mobilization Mechanism.
- Ecosystem approachesfor the conservation of biodiversity need to be adopted rather than going for nature-based solutions.
- The parties are trying to achieve a consensus on eliminating subsidies that are harmful to the environment. But India differentiates on this issue.
- GBF must be framedconsidering science and equity and the sovereign right of countries.
What is the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework?
- The post-2020 global biodiversity framework builds on the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.
- It aims to spur urgent and transformative action by Governments and all of society to contribute to the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity, its Protocols, and other biodiversity-related multilateral agreements, processes, and instruments.
- The draft GBF is set to replace the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
Why does India differ in reducing the agriculture-related subsidy?
- Agriculture is a paramount economic driverfor rural communities.
- The majority of the rural population in India is dependent on agricultureand allied sectors.
- So, the critical support provided to these sectors cannot be redirected.
- Food Security: It is of utmost importance for developing countries.
- So, prescribing numerical targets for pesticide reductions is unnecessary.
- It must be left to countries to decide, based on national circumstances, priorities and capabilities.
Other important Global Climate Funds
- Green Climate Fund (GCF):It was established to limit or reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in developing countries and to help vulnerable societies adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change.
- Adaptation Fund (AF):It was established under the Kyoto Protocol in 2001 and has committed USD 532 million to climate adaptation and resilience activities.
- Global Environment Fund (GEF): GEF has served as an operating entity of the financial mechanism since the Convention came into force in 1994.
- It is a private equity fund focused on seeking long-term financial returns through investments in clean energy under climate change.
- Additional Funds: In addition to guiding the GEF and the GCF, parties have established two special funds:
- The Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) and the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF).
- Both funds are managed by the GEF.
About Global Environment Facility (GEF)
- The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is the key source of funding for biodiversity conservation.
- It caters to multiple conventions, including the UNFCCC and UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
- It remains the only source of funding for biodiversity conservation.
- Global Environment Facility – Key Areas
- As an independently operating financial organization, GEF addresses six designated focal areas which are listed below.
- Biodiversity
- Climate change
- International waters
- Ozone depletion
- Land degradation
- Persistent Organic Pollutants
|