Kunming Montreal Agreement [UPSC Current Affairs]

Convened under UN auspices, chaired by China and hosted by Canada, the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) on December 19, 2022.

In this article, you can read all about the Kunming Montreal Agreement for the UPSC exam environment and ecology segment.

Kunming Montreal Agreement

Representatives of 188 governments, out of 196 parties to the UN CBD as well as two non-parties – the United States & the Vatican agreed on a new framework to halt the sharp and steady loss of biological species. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) sets out four goals for 2050, and 23 targets for 2030, to save the existing biodiversity. The GBF aims to protect at least 30% of the planet by 2030 and reverse ecosystem degradation.

• The Kunming Montreal GBF replaces the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. In 2010 at COP 10 in Nagoya, Japan, the governments set out to meet the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets by 2020, including that natural habitat loss would be halved and plans for sustainable consumption and production would be implemented. According to the 2020 CBD report, none of these targets has been fully met.
• Most countries in Asia have failed to achieve a global minimum target of protecting at least 17% of land by 2020 (based on data from 40 countries).

Also read: Nagoya Protocol

Kunming Montreal Agreement Key Features

Conservation, Protection & Restoration

• Under it, delegates committed to protecting 30% of land and 30% of coastal and marine areas by 2020, fulfilling the deal’s highest profile goal, known as ’30 by 30′. The ’30×30′ target marks the largest land and ocean conservation commitment in history. 
• The deal also aspires to restore 30% of degraded lands and waters throughout the decade, up from an earlier aim of 20%.
• Also, the world will strive to prevent destroying intact landscapes and areas with a lot of species, bringing those losses “close to zero” by 2030.

Global Biodiversity Fund – to support the implementation of the GBF, in order to ensure an adequate, predictable and timely flow of funds.

• The agreement recognizes the need to establish a “dedicated and accessible” Global Biodiversity Fund in 2023, to support developing nations to finance biodiversity protection.
• The agreement seeks to raise international financial flows from developed nations to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, Small Island Developing States, and countries with economies in transition — with funding rising to at least $20 billion per year by 2025, and to at least $30 billion per year by 2030. 

Government Subsidies

• Countries committed to identifying subsidies that deplete biodiversity by 2025 and then, eliminating, phasing out or reforming them.
• Countries agreed to slash those incentives by at least $500 billion a year by 2030, and increase incentives that are positive for conservation.

Other targets include:

• Requiring transnational companies and financial institutions to monitor, assess, and transparently disclose risks and impacts on biodiversity through their operations, portfolios, supply and value chains.
• Reducing the use of pesticides and hazardous chemicals by at least half by 2030 and focusing on other forms of pest management.
• Halving global food waste.
• Reduce the introduction of invasive alien species by at least by half by 2030.

Countries also approved a series of related agreements to implement the GBF, including on planning, monitoring, reporting and review, which are all vital to ensure progress is made.

The next biodiversity summit will take place in 2024 and is expected to see countries strengthen financial commitments towards halting biodiversity loss.

Kunming Montreal Agreement:- Download PDF Here