COP15 Landmark biodiversity agreement ensures environmental protection by 2030 for a third of the planet

188 Nations have reached an agreement to protect a third of the planet for nature by 2030 at the COP15 UN biodiversity summit in Montreal, Canada.

The agreement is of huge importance as our planet’s biodiversity is under great threat. One million plant and animal species are now threatened with extinction, many within decades. Currently, about 15% of earth’s land is protected and only about 7 or 8% of our oceans are somewhat protected through the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) https://mpatlas.org/ .

Big step forward

The landmark deal aims to safeguard biodiversity and protect ecosystems such as rainforests and wetlands, as well as the rights of indigenous peoples. The agreement includes targets for maintaining, enhancing and restoring ecosystems, ensuring the “sustainable use” of biodiversity and protecting the rights of indigenous peoples. It also includes provisions for funding conservation efforts and ensuring that the benefits of resources from nature are shared fairly. It remains to be seen if this really is a landmark deal, but it is definitely a step forward.

Global Biodiversity Framework

The Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) has four main goals to protect nature. These goals are:

• to prevent the extinction of threatened species caused by humans and to reduce the overall rate of species extinction by ten times by 2050;
• to use and manage biodiversity in a sustainable way so that the benefits that nature provides to people are recognized, preserved, and improved;
• to fairly share the benefits of using genetic resources and digital sequence information on genetic resources;
• and to make sure that all Parties, especially Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, have the necessary resources to implement the GBF.

What’s next…

The COP15 agreements represent a significant step forward in international efforts to conserve and protect biodiversity, but achieving the 30 by 30 target will require sustained political will and efforts by governments, civil society, and other stakeholders. It will also require adequate resources and support to ensure that conservation efforts are effective and sustainable.

To meet the goals of the COP15 agreements and protect at least 30% of the planet by 2030, nations will need to take a number of steps. Some of the key actions that may be necessary include:

1. Developing and implementing national conservation plans that outline how the target will be achieved within each country’s borders.
2. Identifying and designating protected areas, such as national parks, wilderness areas, and marine protected areas, and ensuring that they are adequately funded and managed.
3. Implementing policies and practices that support the sustainable use of natural resources, such as regulating the extraction of minerals, timber, and oil, and promoting sustainable agriculture and forestry practices.
4. Working with local communities and indigenous peoples to ensure that their rights are respected and that they are involved in decision-making processes related to conservation and natural resource management.
5. Providing financial and technical assistance to developing countries to help them meet the 30 by 30 target and build capacity for conservation and natural resource management.
6. Monitoring and evaluating progress towards the 30 by 30 target, and adapting strategies as needed to ensure that it is met.

How you can help today

And in the meantime, we give you ten things we can all do today to contribute positively to nature.

For more information, please check out the news section of the official UNEP Cop15 website.