COP 15 encompasses meetings of the signatory parties to three international agreements: (i) the 15th meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity, (ii) the 10th meeting on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP-MOP 10) and (iii) the 4th meeting on the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Use (NP-MOP 4).
Exceptionally due to the pandemic, COP 15 was divided into two moments. The first took place from October 11 to 15, 2021, in a virtual format, and only had the participation of the High Level Segment, with a limited presence in Kunming of accredited delegates from embassies and organizations located and based in China.
The second moment will be in person in Kunming, China, from April 25th to May 8th, 2022 and will include the participation of the business sector and other actors to negotiate and agree on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, as well as with the holding of the Biodiversity and Business Forum.
Check below the summary of the main sessions of the first phase of COP 15 with access to the meeting links.
October 11th
A official opening of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which covers the meetings of the Parties regarding the Cartagena and Nagoya protocols, was attended by representatives of Egypt, who “passed the baton to China” which, as the host country, now preside over the discussions until the next COP, which will be in Turkey.
Chinese representatives highlighted the actions they have taken to conserve biodiversity, including the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity that involves regional cooperation and all sectors of the economy.
The importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services was commented on, highlighting the interrelationship between climate change, loss of biodiversity, culture and food security. It was highlighted that actions to reverse biodiversity loss are urgent, what has been done so far has not been enough.
To implement the framework and for developing countries to be able to do so, it is important that there is cooperation between the parties on financial mobilization, technology financing and training.
To build the Global Biodiversity Framework after 2020, everyone's participation is essential.
October 12th
The day started with the Leader Summit, which was attended by heads of state, notably Xi Jinping, president of China, Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, and Emmanuel Macron, president of France. In addition to these, Egypt, Turkey, Costa Rica, Kyrgyzstan, Papua New Guinea and the United Kingdom were present, with representatives of the Heads of State.
There was a predominance of speeches about the importance of biodiversity, for the health of people, the planet and the economy, and the critical state of loss of habitats and species that we are in, calling on everyone to build an ambitious and transformative global framework after 2020 The leaders also reported on what they have done to address the issue, including the launch of a US$ 232 million Chinese fund for biodiversity conservation in developing countries.
The term 30 by 30, which refers to the goal of protecting areas of 30% by 2030, was widely used throughout the day. Then, in High Level Segment opening plenary (HLS), some UN bodies such as FAO, WHO, UNEP and UNESCO shared some important messages, we highlight: • the future of the economy and business is in our hands, so the global framework must focus on restoring the ecosystem in an ambitious way, aiming a positive future for nature;
• it is important to support the implementation of the framework in developing countries;
• the themes of biodiversity protection and climate change are dissociable;
• it is necessary to implement changes focused on transforming food and restoring ecosystems; • words and intentions will only be effective with concrete actions and implementation of effective public policies;
• the use of technology and science-based innovations are strategies that need to be adopted to implement the framework
• creating effective partnerships to combat food insecurity, reduce poverty and hunger;
• implementation of transition policies focused on the green economy and that address social issues;
• importance of recognizing the rights of indigenous people and the local population, as well as strengthening cultural heritage and implementing environmental education in schools.
Already in Breakout Room A, whose theme was Putting biodiversity on a Path of Recovery, countries such as Uganda, Morocco, Monaco, Rwanda, New Zealand and Finland highlighted the relevance of building an ambitious global biodiversity framework, with Uganda emphasizing the importance of adopting means effective implementation. These countries also highlighted the connection between protecting biodiversity and combating climate change.
Finland highlighted that to implement the framework, it is necessary to work with society in particular, the traditional local population, the indigenous community, young people and women, as well as facilitating access to sustainable production and consumption.
Among the points presented by Luxemburgo, it is worth highlighting the importance of adopting ambitious goals on ecosystem conservation, encouraging the use of Nature-based Solutions (SbN), implementing effective public policies and means of monitoring compliance with the milestone.
Chile highlighted that the milestone is an opportunity to create ambitious objectives based on science and considered that Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA) is an extremely relevant topic that needs to be included in the interactional agenda.
A Breakout Room B, which dealt with Closing the Financing Gap and ensuring the means of implementation, began with the participation of Partha Dasgupta, who was adamant in saying that we need new ways of measuring our economic success, including our impacts and dependencies on biodiversity. The delegations that spoke afterwards reinforced this message and called for the implementation of innovative financing mechanisms to leverage conservation solutions. Minister Joaquim Leite participated in this moment (1:37:20, in the video available on YouTube) and spoke about the indivisible package of the convention, which must jointly address conservation, sustainable use and sharing of benefits, highlighting the of mainstreaming.
Finally, in all sessions, many made positive reference to the Kunming Declaration, which is now being adopted by more than 100 countries and calls for political will to face the biodiversity crisis (see the letter).
October 13
On the last day of High Level Segment (HLS) two round tables were held, also called Breakout Room C and D, It is the Closing session.
In the room Breakout Room C whose title was 'Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development' the discussions were guided taking into account the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, the use of ecosystem-based adaptation (AbE/SbN) and their contribution to meeting the SDGs and targets related to changes climate and food security. In general, countries expressed their support for the Kunming Declaration.
Russia, Serbia, Uruguay, Sweden, Finland, Algeria, United Kingdom, Singapore, Ecuador, Venezuela, Dominica Republic, Italy and Malaysia shared their experiences at national level, bringing examples of national public policies implemented in their countries. Such policies addressed topics such as SbN, biodiversity conservation, sustainable cities, implementation of protected areas (land and sea), integration of nature and indigenous peoples, sustainable tourism, etc. Bolivia, Peru and Mexico highlighted the importance of indigenous peoples and traditional populations in preserving nature.
Russia emphasized that the global framework should effectively complement multilateral environmental instruments and not replace them. Argentina reinforced that the framework must be ambitious and it is essential that it adopt effective implementation mechanisms, such as the creation of a global biodiversity fund.
Finland highlighted that for the framework to be effective, joint action from all sectors at national and international level will be necessary, in addition to the implementation of financial incentive plans and the achievement of bilateral and multilateral agreements.
In this vein, the Dominica Republic highlighted that small countries need to develop means of implementation at a global level and, including, among southern countries. Turkey mentioned that the framework should protect biodiversity, address issues such as desertification and pay attention to marine protected areas with increased protection at a global level.
He also highlighted that national strategic plans for biodiversity protection must be aligned with the new framework, taking into account the necessary joint actions between environmental protection and the issue of climate change.
A Breakout Room D, whose theme was Knowledge, Innovation and Benefit Sharing commented on how continuous scientific research and knowledge from all sources are essential to providing comprehensive information about biodiversity to better inform decision-making about its conservation, sustainable use and allocation fair and equitable benefits.
We had recurring mentions of biotechnology, remote sensing and Digital Sequence Information, in addition to all of them reinforcing the active participation of traditional communities and indigenous peoples in the process of defining conservation strategies. An important message that remained was that “goals on paper are not enough”.
A Closing session It included a presentation of the directions from each of the Breakout Rooms – A,B,C,D. Afterwards, the regional blocks made their considerations, among which we highlight:
• the commitment must have synergy with the three CBD conventions;
• need to implement resources for developing countries;
• importance of complying with articles 16,17, 18 and 20 of the CBD (covering access to technology, information exchange, technical and scientific cooperation, biotechnology management and financial resources);
• mobilization of resources and incentives for all sectors; • importance of private and financial sector participation in all meetings;
• construction of a clear and balanced objective framework for all actors;
• creation of a fund dedicated to biodiversity Furthermore, the session was attended by IPLC, ICLEI, TWN, FARN, Birdlife International and representatives from the private, scientific and financial sectors.
The Business Sector was represented by Natura. Roberto Marques, CEO of Natura (1:16:30, in the video available on Youtube), highlighted that Brazil and China have actions to protect biodiversity, and that in order to successfully adopt the new framework, it is necessary to follow the paths of the Paris Agreement guaranteeing instruments that facilitate its implementation, as well as the creation of key indicators and targets for countries and companies.
October 14
On the 14th it happened Ecological Civilization Forum which featured 7 thematic sessions held between the 14th and 15th of October. At the opening The precepts that make up the concept of Ecological Civilization adopted by China were presented, which considers the earth as our mother, and human beings should live in harmony with nature. Among today's sessions, we highlight the following sessions: Towards a Carbon Neutral Future Synergy between Climate Change and Biodiversity; Ecological Civilization and Biodiversity mainstreaming and Nature-based Solutions for Ecological Conservation and Restoration. session A, which dealt with the topic Towards a Carbon Neutral Future Synergy between Climate Change and Biodiversity, it was highlighted that Climate Change could become, in a short time, the biggest threat to Biodiversity and by taking care of biodiversity we are also reducing GHG emissions, generating a virtuous cycle that benefits people, the planet and the economy.
Biodiversity conservation can be seen from an economic perspective. The topic of reducing deforestation, recovering degraded areas and Nature-Based Solutions were also mentioned. The report “IPBES-IPCC CO-SPONSORED WORKSHOP REPORT ON BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE” was presented (1:06:00) and served as the basis for the discussions that followed. A session B, which dealt with Mainstreaming Ecological Civilization and Biodiversity Conservation, included the participation of experts, academics and representatives from governments, the private sector and civil society, both Chinese and international, with the aim of exploring the integration between 'ecological civilization' and biodiversity conservation in the mainstreaming local and global best practices.
It was highlighted that food systems are one of the main factors leading to the loss of biodiversity on a global scale while being responsible for around 1/3 of GHG emissions, with a focus on changes in land cover and use for agricultural production. Considering population growth trends in the coming years, one of the main questions to be resolved by an effective biodiversity strategy concerns how to feed a growing population without aggressively converting more ecosystems. In this sense, it was mentioned Hence the importance of cultivation techniques that are sustainable and increase the productivity of existing productive areas; the effective protection of natural areas; reducing inefficiencies in food systems, such as food loss and waste as well as the demand for food and agricultural resources that are 'too demanding', for example, require a lot of water and/or a lot of transformed area for their production; and the restoration of degraded ecosystems.
Furthermore, the following considerations were presented:
• the FFF (food, feed and fuel) production and consumption dynamics can no longer be part of the problem but rather contribute to climate and biodiversity solutions;
• the role of companies and the private sector in relation to biodiversity, through actions that identify, recognize, and act to protect the biological diversity on which businesses depend and impact;
• the importance of community involvement through educational initiatives, awareness and training for the mainstreaming of biodiversity.
At session C, on Nature-based Solutions for Ecological Conservation and Restoration, theoretical concepts and practical examples from China and the United Kingdom were presented. The event was attended by representatives of Chinese public bodies, the private sector, the Vice Governor of the Chinese Province of Yunnan, FAO, IUCN, TNC, CEH – UK, World Economic Forum and Chinese scientists. IUCN presented the concept of SbN, highlighting that these represent an umbrella of different arrangements (e.g. Adaptation based on Ecosystems, mitigation, green infrastructure) and the importance of defining global SbN standards, which today have 8 criteria and 28 indicators .
We highlight some topics that were covered in the panel:
• in 2018, China included the concept of Ecological Civilization in its constitution, which became the basis of public environmental policies in the country;
• China created a robust standardization system for SbN in order to help understand which actions/projects are actually characterized as SbN and has been working together with the IUCN to update the standards;
• the concept of rewilding was addressed;
• a Chinese scientific study identified through three scenarios that to generate necessary changes on the planet it is necessary to protect at least 43% areas in the world;
• the Chinese model for preserving protected areas, the ECR – Chinese Ecological Conservation Redline, also adopted in other Asian countries, was cited as a good example of strategic plan and management;
• mention of the United Kingdom's environmental public policy plan, implemented in 2018 with strategies to be adopted until 2025, which is based on six key points;
• China supports that the new framework should consider the preservation of terrestrial and marine protected areas between 30-70%.
Special Virtual Session – The Rio Conventions Pavilion I highlight that this virtual event marks the beginning of a series of the “Rio Convention Pavilion” that will take place over the next nine months. Co-organized by the Secretariats of the Rio Conventions and the Global Environment Facility, the Pavilion serves as a platform to promote and share experiences in the implementation of the Conventions in a complementary, integrated and holistic way, aiming for multiple and improved benefits. Today's special event was attended by the Political and Executive Heads of the UNFCCC, UNCCD and CBD and the GEF, who reflected on the importance of coordinated action.
October 15th
The ceremony of closing of the Ecological Civilization Forum It was attended, in person and online, by representatives of local and international governments, financial institutions and the private sector, academics and researchers, media, NGOs and representatives of civil society. The Initiative for Protecting Biodiversity for a Shared Global Ecological Civilization was launched and signed, which consists of 10 items.
The governor of Yunnan province reiterated the local and national commitment to protecting biodiversity and progress towards sustainability, highlighting that 'a green home is our common dream, and building a harmonious and beautiful world is our responsibility'.
Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary of the CBD, emphasized the systemic nature of the multiple crises facing humanity and the importance of whole-of-society and whole-of-government approaches to catalyze the necessary transformations towards a world living in harmony with nature.
The alliance between more than 500 media outlets around the world was highlighted. This should broadcast programs on biodiversity over the next 2 months in order to publicize, inform, and bring viewers from the most varied platforms closer to biodiversity, landscapes and the beauty of the planet's natural resources.
The following observations from the Ecological Civilization Forum bring hope about the path forward towards a shared future between humans and nature:
• the importance of mainstreaming biodiversity in land use planning policies, with the example of the Chinese Ecological Conservation Red Lining Initiative described as 'world-class example of making the most biodiversity places off limits';
• closing the biodiversity financing gap, where 9 philanthropic organizations committed US$ 5 billion over the next 10 years to the 'Protecting Our Planet Challenge';
• increased focus on the private sector, where several companies have been committing to specific strategies and goals for the protection of nature and biodiversity.
In conclusion, here is a reminder that the concept 'ecological civilization' not only implies the co-existence in harmony between people and nature, but also the global collective effort to bring about the necessary change that neither party is capable of achieving alone. .
At session closure considerations were made on the 15th meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity, (ii) the 10th meeting on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP-MOP 10) and (iii) the 4th meeting on the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Fair and Equitable Distribution of Benefits Arising from its Use (NP-MOP 4).
The full report on the final considerations of each of the aforementioned meetings can be accessed on the CBD website at this link. Considerations and recommendations were also made regarding the Forum on Ecological Civilization and the NGO forum. It was highlighted that COP15 brought significant progress towards improving the Kunming Declaration and discussions on the new framework.
The sessions held during this week contributed to the construction of a new direction for the future of the planet through the sharing of good practices, ideas and debates on the importance of developing means of implementing the new framework.
China considered the importance of countries working together to achieve success and that sharing experiences adopted locally by countries contributes to the creation of global instruments to protect the environment. Furthermore, China pointed out that the framework must support and support non-state actors, must contain the inclusion of NBS in the text, give special attention to maritime protected areas, mention the use of technology for monitoring species and contain greater investments for the green financial/ESG system. The international community must seek to promote scientific research related to environmental issues and engage different stakeholders regarding the importance of GBF. China highlighted that the private sector in its country has received encouragement to implement the new framework.
Representatives of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical, and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), Open-ended Working Group (OEWG), and Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI) presented their considerations on COP15 and reported on the tasks and efforts carried out in these two years to construction of the new landmark/GBF. Among the considerations presented, we highlight:
• countries are sparing no effort to build a new framework that is ambitious and contributes to the preservation of biodiversity, aiming to guide human beings towards the vision of living in harmony with nature;
• bodies are working to provide scientific information to define GBF baselines, indicators and targets;
• the interlinkages between items on the global environmental agenda make progress on specific issues challenging;
• in January 2022, in Geneva, meetings of the subsidiary bodies and the OEWG will be held simultaneously;
• the full agenda for the Geneva meeting will be released in the coming weeks;
• the importance of traditional knowledge, indigenous and local communities for preserving nature on the planet was highlighted;
• the importance of the participation of the indigenous population and local community in implementing the GBF at different levels – national, regional and international – was reported.
The United Kingdom announced an additional voluntary contribution of GBP 200,000 to the Special Voluntary Trust Fund to facilitate the participation of all countries in the CBD negotiation processes.
It is worth mentioning that China reiterated its commitment to establishing the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, including a contribution of 1.5 billion yuan/renminbi (approximately US $ 230 million).
CBD thanked China for the excellent organization of the event and highlighted three challenges that need to be considered:
• the GBF needs to be ambitious enough to meet the objectives/goals of leading the planet to a new vision of living in harmony with nature, encouraging legislation to protect biodiversity;
• it is appropriate to consider robust financial and implementation mechanisms;
• it is necessary to implement a mechanism that can ensure that we are on the right track to achieve the objectives and goals of the framework.
Finally, China thanked all parties for the efforts made and highlighted that it expects everyone to participate in the 2nd phase of COP15 to jointly build an ambitious framework capable of promoting the necessary transformation for the planet. Out of curiosity, we inform you that the 1st phase of COP15 had the participation of around 2,918 delegates, in Kunming, and 2,478 connected online.
