{"id":3269,"date":"2022-12-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-21T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/21-12-2022\/outcomes-of-united-nations-biodiversity-conference-cop15\/"},"modified":"2022-12-21T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-12-21T00:00:00","slug":"outcomes-of-united-nations-biodiversity-conference-cop15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/21-12-2022\/outcomes-of-united-nations-biodiversity-conference-cop15","title":{"rendered":"Outcomes of United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>In News\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\">Recently, The United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) ended in Montreal, Canada with a landmark agreement to guide global action on nature through to 2030.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">This conference was the biodiversity equivalent of the more high-profile climate meetings that are held every year.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>About the Conference\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">It is chaired by China, hosted by Canada, and resulted in the adoption of the <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The GBF aims to address <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>biodiversity loss, restore ecosystems and protect indigenous rights.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">It also contains proposals to increase finance to developing countries \u2013 a major sticking point during talks.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Major Highlights\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The GBF consists of <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>four overarching global goals to protect nature,<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> including:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Halting human-induced extinction of threatened species and reducing the rate of extinction of all species tenfold by 2050<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Sustainable use and management of biodiversity to ensure that nature\u2019s contributions to people are valued, maintained and enhanced<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Fair sharing of the benefits from the utilization of genetic resources, and digital sequence information on genetic resources; and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">that adequate means of implementing the GBF be accessible to all Parties, particularly Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>The GBF also features 23 targets to achieve by 2030, including:<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Effective conservation and management of at least 30 percent of the world\u2019s land, coastal areas and oceans.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Currently, 17 percent of land and *8 percent of marine areas are under the protection<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Restoration of 30 percen<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">t of terrestrial and marine ecosystems<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Reduce to near zero the loss of areas<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> of high biodiversity importance and high ecological integrity<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Halving global food waste<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Phasing out or reforming subsidie<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">s that harm biodiversity by at least $500 billion per year, while scaling up positive incentives for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Mobilizing at least $200 billion<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> per year from public and private sources for biodiversity-related funding<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Raising international financial flows<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> from developed to developing countries to at least US$ 30 billion per year<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Requiring transnational companies<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> and financial institutions to monitor, assess, and transparently disclose risks and impacts on biodiversity through their operations, portfolios, supply and value chains<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Issues\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The planet is experiencing a dangerous decline in nature as a result of human activity. It is experiencing its largest loss of life since the dinosaurs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">One million plant and animal species are now threatened with extinction, many within decades.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Climate change is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss, while changes in land and ocean use have an impact on climate change. Land degradation appears as a cause as well as effect in both climate change and biodiversity loss<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The major challenge to protecting and expanding biodiversity conservation is the use of GDP as the chief determinant of development.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">\u00a0GDP is based on a faulty application of economics that excludes \u201cdepreciation of assets\u201d like nature which is degraded by relentless extraction of resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:none; table-layout:fixed; width:624px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#d9ead3; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; border-left:1px solid #000000; border-right:1px solid #000000; border-top:1px solid #000000; vertical-align:top\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Do you Know?<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">\u00a0The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the CBD were both outcomes of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit \u2014 as was the third member of the family, the Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD), which deals specifically with the issue of land degradation.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The three environmental conventions seek to address the issues that overlap among them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">All three agreements hold their separate COPs, the interlinkages, not very obvious in the 1990s, are getting increasingly evident.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The success of anyone helps the cause of others too.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Cartagena and Nagoya: <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The CBD has given rise to two \u2018supplementary\u2019 agreements \u2014 the Cartagena Protocol of 2003 and the Nagoya Protocol of 2014.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Both agreements take their names from the places where they were negotiated.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Cartagena Protoco<\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">l on Biosafety seeks to protect biodiversity from genetically modified organisms by ensuring their safe handling, transport, and use.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Nagoya Protocol <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">on Access and Benefit Sharing deals with the commercial utilisation of biological and genetic resources, for example, by pharma companies.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">\u00a0It asks the host countries to provide access to its genetic resources in a legal, fair and non-arbitrary manner and, as mentioned above, offers them a fair and equitable share of benefits arising out of the utilisation of those resources.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Conclusion and Way Forward\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">There is a need to take urgent action to protect and restore the world\u2019s biodiversity \u2014 all the different forms of life, plants as well as animals, that inhabit this planet.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">\u00a0about 1 million species face extinction, some within a few decades if urgent action is not taken<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Success of <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> will be measured by our rapid and consistent progress in implementing what we have agreed to.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Countries would have to review existing laws relating to not just the environment, but areas such as industry, agriculture, and land use, to ensure that the national strategy and action plan adequately protects biodiversity<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">They must provide information for sustainable consumption and comply with the rules on benefit-sharing. Perverse incentives that affect biodiversity should be eliminated.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">There is a need for appreciation of nature, and measuring \u201cinclusive wealth\u201d, which captures not just financial and produced capital but also human, social, and natural capital.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:none; table-layout:fixed; width:624px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#d9ead3; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; border-left:1px solid #000000; border-right:1px solid #000000; border-top:1px solid #000000; vertical-align:top\">\n<p style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Mains Practice Question<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>[Q]<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"> What does the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)\u00a0 mean for the ongoing loss of terrestrial and marine biodiversity?\u00a0 Discuss the possible impact on the environment.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In News\u00a0 Recently, The United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) ended in Montreal, Canada with a landmark agreement to guide global action on nature through to 2030.\u00a0 This conference was the biodiversity equivalent of the more high-profile climate meetings that are held every year. About the Conference\u00a0 It is chaired by China, hosted by Canada, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3270,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[60,26],"class_list":["post-3269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-analysis","tag-environmental-pollution-degradation","tag-gs-3"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3683112962218D1C2BEA-B42D-44CA-AC90-12BFBC61D8CC.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3269","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3269"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3269\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}