UN Report Finds Growing Global Commitment to Biodiversity Goals, Highlights Urgent Need to Accelerate Action Through 2030

AFOLABI SAHEED OLAWALE

Countries have made significant progress in establishing national commitments to protect and restore nature, but greater ambition and faster implementation is needed to meet the world’s biodiversity targets, according to a United Nations report.

The State of Biodiversity Action report, formally launched by UN Secretary-General António Guterres just ahead of global biodiversity talks in Yerevan, provides the first global assessment of collective progress under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in December 2022 with 23 targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and four long-term goals for 2050.

The Framework addresses the principal drivers of biodiversity loss, including land- and sea-use change, unsustainable exploitation of species, climate change, pollution and invasive alien species, as well as addressing economic and financial activities contributing to biodiversity loss.

Achieving these goals will require action beyond environment ministries, including in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, infrastructure, finance and business. Priorities include reforming harmful incentives, promoting sustainable production and consumption, improving business disclosure of biodiversity impacts and dependencies, and directing investment toward conservation, restoration and sustainable use.

Now at the halfway point to meeting 2030 deadlines, the report finds widespread engagement with the Framework. Nearly 90 per cent of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s 196 Parties have established national biodiversity targets, close to 60 per cent have developed national biodiversity strategies and action plans and over 70 per cent have submitted national reports. Indigenous peoples and local communities, subnational governments, businesses and civil society organizations have registered approximately 5,000 commitments.

Yet this engagement has not yet translated into sufficient progress. Fewer than half of national targets assessed by Parties are on track.

National ambition also falls short. While national targets address an average of 22 of the 23 global targets, many do not cover their full scope. For example, many countries have set targets to promote positive incentives, but far fewer have committed to reducing harmful subsidies, as called for under Target 18.

The gap between national commitments and global ambition is also evident under Target 3, with current pledges falling well short of the goal to conserve 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030.

The report identifies gaps in financing and other means of implementation, whole-of-government and whole-of-society action, and the data and knowledge needed to track progress. Targets requiring action beyond environment ministries, including those concerning business action, sustainable consumption, harmful incentives and finance are among those furthest behind.

“The report shows that many of the critical elements of progress, including finance, capacity, cooperation and data – are still missing in action,” the Secretary-General said. “Nature won’t thrive on good intentions. Guided by the evidence in this report, we can halt and reverse biodiversity loss and secure the natural foundations upon which all human life and prosperity depend.”

The Secretary-General emphasized accountability, international cooperation and the contributions of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, whose traditional knowledge and stewardship help protect ecosystems. These efforts support food and water security, health, livelihoods and economic resilience.

Speaking ahead of the Leaders for Nature Summit, the Secretary-General also called for greater financial and technical support, particularly for developing countries, reform of harmful subsidies, nature-positive investment and stronger integration of biodiversity across public policies and budgets.

The report will inform the first global review of collective progress under the Framework at COP 17, taking place in Yerevan from 19 to 30 October. Governments will assess progress and consider ways to accelerate implementation.

“COP 15 gave us the framework. COP 16 advanced important mechanisms for its implementation. COP 17 must now help us determine where we stand, what is working, where progress is falling short and what must change to accelerate implementation,” said Hambardzum Matevosyan, Armenia’s Minister of Environment and incoming President of COP17.

“This report shows that we are making progress, but we must do much more, especially as accelerating climate change impacts place growing pressure on nature,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. “We cannot tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution in isolation.”

“We know where we stand. We know where the gaps are. Now we must work together to close them,” said Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. “COP 17 is our opportunity to build on what has been achieved, strengthen cooperation and put biodiversity at the heart of decisions across government and society.”

On 16 October, Armenia will host the Leaders Summit on Biodiversity, themed “Leaders for Nature,” in Yerevan, bringing together senior political leaders to discuss the report’s findings and strengthen political commitment to implementing the Framework ahead of COP 17.