On historical progress and persistent issues in CBD COP15

By LU Wanlin

Abstract: As CBD COP15 second phase ended with landmark biodiversity agreement, the author summarizes several salient points worth noticing in COP15 and some important achievements with the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This progress is the product of a positive and long-overdue overall international mobilization, and the GBF, however, will still be challenged by “free riding” and the persisting “North-South” divide, domestic politico-economic dynamics, as well as the lack of support of major players like the USA.

Key words: CBD COP15, Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, benefit-sharing, Digital Sequence Information (DSI), Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), financial mobilization

LU Wanlin. On historical progress and persistent issues in CBD COP15. Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development. Volume 1, Issue 13. December 2022. ISSN2749-9065

Amid the increasing threat of further dramatic biodiversity loss, countries reached a historical deal to protect nature in December 2022. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was successfully adopted during the second phase of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It is a result based on compromise and multilateral cooperation.

According to the Convention on Biological Diversity, none of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets set at COP10 in Nagoya have been fully met. The lag in target fulfillment could worsen biological protection for generations to come. As highlighted by the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), rising greenhouse gas emissions also severely threaten the survival of the planet’s flora and fauna.

Several salient points are worth noticing in COP15.

First of all, the second phase of the meeting is moving towards renewing the global biodiversity framework (GBF) based on access and benefit-sharing. It clearly addressed difficulties and unsolved issues including resource mobilization, digital sequence information (DSI), Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), capacity building, and how to monitor, report, and review. Thus, this Convention is targeting and having the ambition to cope with the tough barriers.

Secondly, in the biodiversity regime, it is usually “sufficiently vague” to ultimately encourage all countries even the most sovereignty-jealous, and allergic to international pressure to participate. The COP15 has tried to solve vagueness but still encountered the “North-South” dilemma and free rider issue, which made it hard for countries to compromise and implement. For the South, countries possess abundant biodiversity but lack of financial resources, knowledge, or training. While for the North, they are asked to provide support and share but they are worried about the free rider problem.

For instance, countries debated the language used in framing the GBF. For example, some developed countries preferred to use “financial flow” while developing countries prefer to use “financial resources from developed countries.” But with the goal of renewing GBF based on access and benefit-sharing, achievements have been made even though the long-existing conflict between the north and south, and the free rider concern haven’t been solved.

Some important achievements have been made.

First of all, COP15 passed the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, accepting the “30 by 30” goal which refers to protecting 30% of global land and marine areas by 2030. Secondly, to mobilize financial resources, Global Environment Facility (GEF) refers to GBD financial mechanism, despite the North and the South arguing about the usage of language. Thirdly, IPLCs are given attention in COP15. Countries are encouraged to involve IPLC participation. A new working group will be formed to promote Article 8(j) (traditional knowledge) integration. Besides, nations all agreed on the significance to provide capacity building to developing countries.

This progress is the product of a positive and long-overdue overall international mobilization by countries which made compromises and committed to cooperating with each other so as to further improve GBF. However, the GBF will still be challenged by “free riding” and the persisting “North-South” divide, as well as by domestic politico-economic dynamics, and by the lack of support of major players like the USA, who did not support the convention in the first place thus undermining the very multidimensional cooperation that is essential to solve the pressing global biodiversity challenges of our time.

About the “GAD-CBCGDF Sustainability Leadership Platform”

The “GAD-CBCGDF Sustainability Leadership Platform” is an exclusive cooperation scheme between Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College (UIC)’s Globalisation and Development (GAD) Programme and China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), aimed at increasing GAD students’ opportunities for research on, active engagement in and exposure to nationally and internationally relevant initiatives concerning various aspects of sustainable development – from poverty alleviation to circular economy, from natural resource management to global environmental governance, from UNSDG promotion to Green Belt and Road Initiative.