Cop15, WWF recommendations to save biodiversity

There UN Conference on Biodiversity to be held in Montreal (Cop15) from 7 to 19 December is a crucial opportunity to address the increasingly serious crisis of biodiversity loss. Governments will meet in December 2022 to approve a new agreement with targets for 2030: a plan which, if sufficiently ambitious and based on scientific principles, will make it possible to tackle the loss of biodiversity, the climate crisis, the food and water crisis and reduce our vulnerability to future pandemics.

Cop15 in Montreal must represent the turning point that theParis Agreement represented for the climate, defining an agreement that is commensurate with the extent of the nature crisis we are experiencing.

A global framework of success

To address the crisis of nature and ensure a sustainable future for our and future generations, the Global Framework for Biodiversity (GBF) must contain at least the following elements:

1. A mission to achieve a nature-positive world and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030

The GBF’s Mission is the ultimate goal that must guide all sectors of society, just as the goal of limiting global warming to 2°C, and preferably 1.5°C is for the climate. The inversion of the biodiversity loss curve by 2030 is not only a necessary goal for the survival of the planet, but it is also an achievable goal, thanks to the resilience of natural systems, if the conditions have been created for this to happen.

2. A goal to preserve 30% of land, water and oceans and restore degraded ecosystems by 2030

As already recognized at European level by the 2030 Strategy, the main tool to combat the loss of biodiversity is the creation of protected areas. This goal should be globally agreed: the world economy would greatly benefit from the establishment of protected or otherwise protected areas in key biodiversity areas covering 30% of the land surface and 30% of the sea surface, with benefits that would exceed costs widely (respectively 5 to 1).

3. An intermediate goal to halve the ecological footprint of production and consumption by 2030

Unsustainable human activities are causing the loss of biodiversity: the amount of nature required for the production and consumption of materials and products for food, infrastructure and construction constitute our “ecological footprint”. The Global Framework for Biodiversity offers a unique opportunity to halve the footprint of consumption and production by 2030 and agree on common actions on a global scale to incentivize a just transition of the productive and financial sectors that guarantees jobs and lifestyles , allowing, at the same time, to protect and restore nature. A transition of sectors that have the greatest impact on biodiversity, including agri-food sectors, presents new and diverse opportunities for a sustainable economy and for the creation of new green jobs.

4. An implementation mechanism that foresees an acceleration of actions over time

A strong and integrated implementation mechanism within the Global Biodiversity Framework, similar to that of the Paris Climate Agreement, is a crucial element to ensure that targets and indicators are met and that an impact can be made. acceleration over time where necessary if progress is too slow. The alignment of National Biodiversity Plans, monitoring progress and accelerating it where necessary, are essential elements to avoid the failure of the Aichi Goals.

5. A significant increase in resources allocated to biodiversity and an alignment of financial flows to achieve the nature-positive objective and convert harmful subsidies by 2030

We need more funds for nature. In adopting the Global Framework for Biodiversity, countries need to rethink how they finance the targets: an effective and comprehensive resource mobilization strategy needs to include diverse sources and a decrease in funding that harms nature, including through a refocusing of subsidies harmful by 2030 and to use development aid to favor actions that produce benefits for biodiversity.

6. The inclusion of nature-based solutions and ecosystem approaches

Nature is the answer to many of the challenges humanity faces: in the health sector, for poverty reduction, for achieving climate and economic goals. The Global Framework for Biodiversity must make evident the value that Nature-based solutions offer in addressing these challenges and how an ecosystemic, equitable and human rights-based approach can lead to conditions of well-being and sustainable economic development.

All this through approaches that are based on human rights and the inclusion of society.
Approaches based on human rights and inclusive society must be included throughout the Global Framework, including the right to a healthy, clean and sustainable environment to ensure respect for human rights and the full, effective and equitable participation of indigenous peoples and local communities, women and girls, young people and people in vulnerable situations.