Currently, 17% of the world’s terrestrial lands and 10% of its marine areas are protected.
A new agreement reached the COP15 biodiversity summit will result in the protection of nearly one-third of the world by 2030.
In the next eight years, delegates at the “last chance” meeting in Canada have vowed to conserve at least 30 percent of the world’s land, inland waters, coastal areas, and seas.
As part of the commitment, regions deemed essential for biodiversity, such as tropical rainforests, will receive special attention.
Currently, 17% of the world’s terrestrial lands and 10% of its marine areas are protected.
Countries participating in the UN biodiversity conference committed to a total of 23 goals, including reducing global food waste by the end of the decade and lowering or phasing out government subsidies that harm nature by more than £400 billion per year.
It follows a late opposition from the Democratic Republic of Congo, whose delegates voiced reservations about the contributions of affluent nations to conservation efforts in developing countries.
Delegates from the African nation had proposed that industrialized nations “give resources” to poor nations to assist them with their conservation efforts.
Monday morning, however, the agreement was approved by the conference chair, the Chinese minister of ecology and environment, Huang Runqiu.
China has presided over the conference, but it will be conducted in Canada due to tight COVID-19 limitations in the host nation.
Some have hailed the agreement, like Sue Lieberman of the Wildlife Conservation Society, who said it contained “very wonderful parts.” The Green Party welcomed the accord but cautioned the UK government and others to “stand up to the plate” and make the pledges a reality.
Others, however, questioned whether it had gone far enough. The chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper, condemned the agreement as “very weak.”
He tweeted, “End game in Montreal, but plans too weak, including a 30 percent target that is no longer 30 percent protected on land and 30 percent protected at sea, but 30 percent overall.”
“Also, species content on extinction and abundance is insufficient. Calls for financial ambition must be met by even greater ambition for nature restoration.”
In the meanwhile, Will McCallum, executive director of Greenpeace UK, stated, “Governments like the United Kingdom, which worked hard for stronger wording inside the 30×30 target, must channel any disappointment with the decision into leading by example.
We need properly protected ocean sanctuaries and large tracts of land managed for nature to demonstrate to the world that restoring biodiversity creates jobs in rural and remote areas, maintains the resilience of our food system, and strengthens our ability to withstand the effects of climate change.
WWF International’s Director General, Marco Lambertini, added, “Agreeing on a global goal that will guide collective and immediate action to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 is an extraordinary achievement for those negotiating the Global Biodiversity Framework, and a victory for people and the planet.
It sends a clear signal and must serve as a springboard for action from governments, business, and society in support of climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals to transition to a nature-positive future.
He referred to the agreement as “a great milestone for the conservation of our natural environment,” but cautioned that it may be damaged by “slow implementation and failure to mobilize the promised resources.”
