COP15 | A “historic” deal was agreed upon in the fight

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was fully adopted around 3:30 a.m. after a long day of negotiations marked by a standoff between the conference’s Chinese leadership and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The key objective of protecting “at least 30% of land, inland waters and oceans” remains there, and a way has been found to solve the complex problem of financing measures to protect biodiversity in developing countries.

A dedicated biodiversity-specific trust fund will be created from the Global Environment Facility and will provide at least $20 billion per year by 2025 and at least $30 billion by 2030, which will satisfy both the EU and developing countries, as requested.

“Tonight we took a historic step together,” said federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilfeld.

Eddie Perez, director of international climate diplomacy at Canada’s Climate Action Network, said the deal was “weak and historic.”

“Its success will be measured by its implementation,” he says.

However, while the framework is ambitious, it “remains weak” in terms of the measures used to achieve its objectives, Mr. Perez believes.

Globally, the main challenge will be to find funding.

At the national level, Canada’s priority, Mr. According to Perez, the speedy passage of the Law on Biodiversity.

Compromise

The final agreement removed some paragraphs that prevented consensus from being reached in the final days.

A scaled-down target to reduce pesticide use, which was at least 50%, or two-thirds, in the previous draft was dropped in the final version, replaced by a “halve reduction of pesticides linked to overall risk and the most dangerous chemicals.

Disposal of plastic waste and e-waste discharges has been replaced by “action towards prevention, reduction and elimination of plastic pollution”.

The 2050 Global Biodiversity Vision is further removed from interim targets for 2030, which “will make it difficult to assess whether or not the global biodiversity framework is actually generating positive impacts on ecosystems”. , the NGO Avas concerned.

Bisbil, but a practice respected

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) said it was “unable to support” the text’s “lack of ambition” in funding conservation measures and aiming to protect 30% of land, inland waters and oceans. Acceptance of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework in its current state”, throws a chill in the room.

Mexico then took the stage and launched “a plea for common sense, flexibility” and asked to adopt a global framework, prompting thunderous applause and a standing ovation.

After several minutes of closed-mic discussions with his entourage, COP15 chairman and Chinese environment minister Huang Runqi said he had asked for “overwhelming support from the room” for the draft agreement and proposed its adoption. Accepted, prompting a new round of applause.

This rapid adoption has been criticized by some African countries, with Cameroon condemning it as “a passage in progress” and Uganda wrongly registering against “the way”.

Legal counsel for the Convention on Biological Diversity said it had heard no formal objections, only “comments”.

“What is happening today is without any error from a legal point of view,” he said.

Minister Steven Guilfeld said he was “absolutely comfortable” with the way the deal had been accepted.

“I’ve been to several COPs where things went downhill quickly,” he said. This is not the first time this has happened at a UN meeting, and it is unlikely to be the last. »