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Global biodiversity summit aims to slow extinction and end “war on nature.” : NPR


Deforestation is a major threat to the orangutan’s survival. A young sumatran orangutan plays in a tree as they train at the Sumatran Orangutan Program’s rehabilitation center in Indonesia.

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Delegates from around the world are gathering in Montreal this week to address what United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has described as humanity’s “suicide and senseless war against nature.” ”

The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which begins Tuesday, comes at a pivotal time. More than a million species are in danger of extinction globally, many within a few decades, because of human action. The destruction of forests, wetlands, and other natural ecosystems that clean the air and water for the world’s 8 billion inhabitants continues worldwide. Emissions of greenhouse gases warm the climate keep increasing.

The World Economic Forum lists biodiversity loss as one of the top three global risksbecause the loss of nature doesn’t just affect plants and animals.

“Without food, without clean air to breathe, without water, without medicines, things that depend on biodiversity resources, where are we? What are we? ” Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, executive secretary of the conference said. “That means we will perish just like animals and plants.”

Here’s what you need to know about the nearly two-week conference:

What is the Convention on Biological Diversity?

Remember the climate conference, COP27, in Egypt last month? CBD is a lot like that. It was a conference of parties — more than 190 countries in total (though notably not the United States) — that gathered with the aim of slowing the decline in nature.

This is the 15th meeting of CBD. An important thing is long overdue. Previously planned conventions were broken by COVID-19, kind of pandemic that scientists say is more likely as we continue to disrupt and damage the natural world.

What’s special about this?

Every ten years, CBD negotiates something called the Global Biodiversity Framework. It sets goals for member states for the next decade. In this case, the countries will try to agree on a framework that lasts until 2030.

What are the main goals of this conference?

In general and frankly, the main goal is to stop bleeding.

A study published last year found that only 3% of the world’s ecosystem remain ecologically intact — that is, they still support healthy populations of native species and are not tarnished by human actions.

The assessment, more explicitly than previous studies, recommends urgent efforts to protect those areas and restore others, “while this is still possible.”

Reports of the world’s leading scientists show that humans have significant changes 75% of the Earth’s land area and 2/3 of its oceans.

“Basically, we need to protect our life-support systems from accelerated natural loss,” said Rebecca Shaw, chief scientist of the World Wildlife Fund. “Inaction is not an option at all because it will only expose us to greater risk of a pandemic, which none of us want, it undermines our efforts to protect protect the climate and make our food production system much more vulnerable.”

Ok, but what exactly are they looking at?

The draft framework for the conference lists more than 20 objectives (You can read it here).

The flashiest item on the list is member states’ pledge to protect 30% of their land and water by 2030, a concept known as 30 by 30. The Biden administration has committed to do it in the US, as well as in many other countries.

An aerial view of an area of ​​Amazonian rainforest cleared in Brazil this year.

SMichael Dantas/AFP via Getty Images


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SMichael Dantas/AFP via Getty Images


An aerial view of an area of ​​Amazonian rainforest cleared in Brazil this year.

SMichael Dantas/AFP via Getty Images

There are still big questions about what, specifically, will count as conserved or protected land. And there are concerns from Indigenous groups that the concept could be used as an excuse to relocate Indigenous peoples from their lands, similar to how the US national park system is used. to relocate Native Americans.

Viviana Figueroa, a legal expert at the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity, said: “There is a lot of evidence that lands and territories traditionally administered by indigenous peoples are areas. most important when it comes to biodiversity”. Montreal. “So it would be very profitable to take our land. This is something we don’t want.”

Wait… why isn’t the US part of the Convention on Biological Diversity?

The United States is one of four UN members that have not signed on to the CBD. The reason is political.

CBD was approved in 1993, with the participation of the United States. The Clinton administration wanted to sign the treaty but was blocked by a majority of Republicans in the Senate.

Conservation groups have called on the Biden administration to join the CBD. It rejoined the Paris climate agreement after the US left under former president Donald Trump.

The Biden administration made no effort to sign the treaty but is expected to play a behind-the-scenes role in the negotiations. It has prioritized biodiversity, appointing a first envoy for biodiversity and water resources, giving Beautiful America Initiativeaims to preserve and restore natural ecosystems, and has begun research make nature a part economics of the country.

What are the expected stress points?

As we saw at last month’s climate conference in Egypt, these conventions often end up with interested parties not getting everything they want. Delegates expect difficult negotiations over the wording and content of all proposed objectives.

Similar to the climate conference, the biggest point of tension could revolve around finances. Conservation of nature can be very important for sustain the global economy in the long run, but it also costs money in the short term.

Smaller, developing nations, which are suffering from the impacts of climate change and disproportionately losing biodiversity, want to see stronger financial commitments from rich, developed nations. countries that have benefited economically from polluting the world’s environment.

Richer countries have a long history of promise to help fund climate and biodiversity projects, but not always. Progress has been made with the establishment of a fund for "loss and damage” — the climate impact on smaller countries is being felt right now — at the recent climate conference but questions remain about who’s going to put money in it and when.

The first draft of the biodiversity framework identified an annual financial shortfall of $700 billion to reverse the decline of nature. Questions will inevitably arise about who will help pay to solve the problem.

Will a deal really slow down the loss of nature?

That’s the multi-dollar question. And there is reason for skepticism. The previous ten-year framework set out by CBD in 2010 had set 20 nature and conservation-related goals for 2020. None of them were achieved.

More than 10,000 people will attend this year’s CBD, including NGOs and businesses.

Shaw said the widespread interest from the public and private sectors is a hopeful sign that the biodiversity crisis has finally gained international recognition.

“We have seen our commitment and focus on climate change increase over the past 20 years,” said Shaw. “And that’s because the impacts have become unbearable globally. It’s like you can’t ignore it anymore. We’re there on the nature side.”

Now, she said, it’s time to act.

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