COP-16 of Convention on Biological Diversity- Explained Pointwise

The COP-16 of Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which was organized in Cali, Colombia. The convention which was initially scheduled to conclude on November 1, extended past its deadline of conclusion, as around 190 countries worked to reach a conclusive agreement on biodiversity targets and financing. COP-16 aims to build on the momentum gained after the adoption of Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at COP-15 in Montreal in 2022. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework lays down four goals and 23 targets to be achieved collectively by 2030.

What is the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)?

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was the outcome of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)) along with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD).

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) came into force in December 1993. India became a party to the convention in February 1994. With 196 Parties, the CBD has near universal participation among countries.

The Convention seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through:
(a) Scientific assessments
(b) Development of tools, incentives and processes
(c) Transfer of technologies and good practices
(d) Full and active involvement of relevant stakeholders including indigenous peoples and local communities, youth, women, NGOs, sub-national actors and the business community.

Objectives: Three main objectives of the Convention are:
(a) Conservation of biological diversity
(b) Sustainable use of resources
(c) Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of these resources and associated traditional knowledge.

Protocols Under the Convention: There are two protocols under the Convention (CBD):
(a) The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety seeks to protect biodiversity from genetically modified organisms by ensuring their safe handling, transport and use;
(b) The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing deals with the commercial utilisation of biological and genetic resources.

Structure: The CBD’s governing body is the Conference of the Parties (COP). It includes all nations that have ratified the treaty and it meets every two years to review progress, set priorities and commit to work plans. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) is based in Montreal, Canada. Its main function is to assist governments in the implementation of the CBD and its programmes of work, to organize meetings, draft documents, and coordinate with other international organizations and collect and spread information. The Executive Secretary is the head of the Secretariat.

What are the challenges in protecting Biodiversity?

1. Population growth and increasing demand for biological resources- Rapid rise in population and the expanding demand from biological resources has led to over-exploitation of natural resources. Rapid deforestation especially in the Amazons (and other evergreen forest regions) is responsible for large-scale extinction of species.

2. Habitat Degradation- The major threats to biodiversity that result from human activity are habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation, habitat degradation, overexploitation of species for human use, introduction of exotic species, and increased spread of diseases. Most threatened species face at least two or more of these threats, speeding their way to extinction and hindering efforts to protect them.

3. Climate Change- Climate change is disturbing the fragile ecological balance leading to extinction of species. For ex- A study has found that Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has lost more than half of its corals since 1995 due to warmer seas driven by climate change.

4. Exotic Species- Introduction of exotic species (deliberate or inadvertent) poses a threat to native species. According to the CBD, Invasive alien species have contributed to nearly 40% of all animal extinctions since the 17th century for which the cause is known.

5. Government Policies- Government policies, in pursuit of development and without adequate safeguards, have contributed to loss of biodiversity. For ex- The major reasons for deforestation in Amazons is due to exploitative policies of the Brazilian Government.

What is the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF)?

It is a multilateral treaty aimed at halting and reversing biodiversity loss globally by 2030. It was adopted in December 2022 during the 15th Conference of the Parties (CoP), it supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and builds on achievements and lessons from the 2011–2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity.

Purpose and Goals: It aims to ensure the effective restoration of at least 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland water, marine, and coastal ecosystems by 2030. It includes 23 action-oriented global targets for urgent action by 2030.

Long-Term Vision: The framework envisions a collective commitment to living in harmony with nature by 2050, providing a foundational guide for current actions and policies related to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.

What are the major concerns of new global biodiversity framework?

1. Weak Legal language for protection of critical areas- The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) warns that the agreement’s goal of reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 could be undermined if weak language in critical areas such as the protection of intact ecosystems and tackling unsustainable production and consumption is not addressed at the national level.

2. Lack of mandatory ratcheting Mechanism- The GBF lacks the mandatory ratcheting mechanism that undertakes periodic review and upgradation of targets. Ratchet mechanism is part of the Paris Agreement wherein NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) are reviewed and updated after 5 years.

3. Lack of proper implementation mechanisms- In the absence of proper implementation mechanisms, the targets agreed under COP15 may remain unfulfilled like the Aichi Targets.

What should be the Way Forward?

1. Participation of all stakeholders- Protection and sustainable use of biodiversity requires the participation of all stakeholders and ministries responsible for such areas as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, energy, tourism, trade and finance.

2. Mainstreaming Biodiversity conservation- There is need to mainstream the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources across all sectors of the national economy, the society and the policy-making framework.

3. Integrated management of natural resources- This approach based on the ecosystem approach, is the most effective way to promote the conservation of biodiversity.

4. Good Governance- It is essential that the all countries, especially developing countries, take necessary steps to establish good governance, including rule of law and improvement in the economic and social management capacity. This can check unregulated exploitation of biological resources.

5. Alignment of International financial institutions- International financial institutions and multilateral development banks should align their portfolios with the conservation, and sustainable use of biodiversity.

The outcomes of COP- 16 are promising and provide hope that the rapid loss of biodiversity can be reversed. Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) is expected to act as the new guiding force for the conservation efforts in the coming decade. However, the focus now has to be on implementation and achievement of targets or else GBF will also end up like rest of the global agreements and protocols that promised a lot but delivered a little.