Nations Adopt Four Goals, 23 Targets for 2030 in Landmark UN Biodiversity Agreement

News published: 19 December 2022

In the early hours of this morning (Monday 19 December) the nations of the world agreed an ‘historic’ package of measures to address the dangerous loss of biodiversity and restore natural ecosystems. Convened under the auspices of the UN, chaired by China, and hosted by Canada, the 15^th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) adopted the “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework” (GBF), including four goals and 23 targets for achievement by 2030, including protecting 30% of the planet by 2030 and recognising the major role of indigenous peoples as custodians of biodiversity.

Amongst the goals and targets adopted are many that will be of great significance in ensuring the future of the world’s threatened plant species. These include:

• Halting species extinction and maintaining genetic diversity;
• Reducing to near zero the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance;
• Maintaining, enhancing and restoring the integrity, connectivity and resilience of all ecosystems;
• Using biodiversity sustainably to ensure that species and habitats can continue to provide services for humanity, such as food and clean water;
• Ensuring that the benefits of use of biodiversity, such as medicines from plants, are shared fairly and equally and that indigenous peoples’ rights are protected;
• Ensuring that money and conservation efforts get to where they are needed.

As part of the monitoring framework, BGCI will now be working with the Global Partnership for Plant Conservation (GPPC) to prepare a set of complimentary actions related to plant conservation, that will be aligned with the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework as well as other relevant decisions adopted at COP15.

Read the full press release from the CBD Secretariat below and for more information click here.