Negotiators agree to a historic deal at COP15, committing to protect 30% of land and water considered important for biodiversity by 2030.
ADVERTISEMENTNegotiators reached a historic deal at a UN biodiversity conference early Monday that would represent the most significant effort to protect the world’s land and oceans as well as provide critical financing to save biodiversity in the developing world.
The global framework comes a day before the United Nations Biodiversity Conference, or COP15, is set to end in Montreal, Canada. China, which holds the presidency at this conference, released a new draft earlier in the day, that gave the talks momentum.
The most significant part of the agreement is a commitment to protect 30% of land and water considered important for biodiversity by 2030. Currently, 17% of land and 10% of marine areas are protected.
The draft also calls for raising €187 billion by 2030 for biodiversity from a range of sources and working to phase out or reform subsidies that could provide another €469 billion for nature.
As part of the financing package, the framework wants to increase the fund that goes to poorer countries up to at least €18 billion annually by 2025. The figure is about double what is currently provided. That number would increase to €28 billion by 2030.
The text also provides guarantees for indigenous peoples, custodians of 80% of the Earth's remaining biodiversity.
It also proposes to restore 30% of degraded land and to halve the risk of pesticides.
Our journalists are working on this story and will update it as soon as more information becomes available.