Progress and Challenges in Global Biodiversity Conservation and Restoration
One way to track the progress of biodiversity conservation and restoration objectives is through the series of COPs dedicated to biodiversity. Unfortunately, all these United Nations-led conferences—on biodiversity, climate change, and desertification—are called “COP,” which can create confusion about their distinct purposes.
“The Convention recognizes that biological diversity is about more than plants, animals and micro-organisms and their ecosystems – it is about people and our need for food security, medicines, fresh air and water, shelter, and a clean and healthy environment in which to live.” (https://www.cbd.int/convention)
Meetings reflect the world commitment to sustainable growth, one that not only avoid biodiversity degradation but provoke a positive impact on Nature.
Setting the Stage: COP15 and the Kunming-Montreal Framework
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), adopted at COP15 (Montreal, Canada, 2022), marked a significant milestone in global efforts to protect biodiversity. COP15 set clear objectives, including protecting 30% of the planet’s terrestrial and marine areas by 2030 and reducing harmful subsidies by $500 billion annually (2022-12-19 UN COP15 MON…)(Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2024): The Forest Factor: The role of protection, restoration and sustainable management of forests for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework). Among these, Target 19 is pivotal in addressing biodiversity financing: it suggests mobilizing financial resources from public and private sources to implement biodiversity strategies and action plans. Specifically, it proposed to mobilize at least $200 billion annually from diverse sources by 2030 and channel $30 billion annually to developing countries by the same year. @UN Biodiversity Conference.
COP16: Progress Amid Challenges
The most recent COP16, held in Cali, Colombia, concluded on November 2, one day after the initial schedule and with many delegates leaving the Conference due to their travel plans. There was not a final declaration despite intensive negotiations. However, it was far from a failure. COP16 delivered several key agreements that reflect progress toward the goals of the KMGBF. The President of COP16, Susana Muhamad, Colombian Environment Minister (see Financial Times) expressed optimism about resuming negotiations (without more specifications), emphasizing the importance of the agreements reached during the conference, the most significative are the following:
- Recognition of Indigenous and Local Communities: For the first time, the importance of integrating Indigenous and local knowledge into biodiversity strategies was explicitly acknowledged. Past conservation efforts often had negative impacts on local populations, a dynamic this framework aims to reverse.
- Cali Fund for Digital Sequence Information (DSI): A mechanism to share benefits from genetic resources with Indigenous peoples, supporting equitable participation and conservation. An idea that needs a certain level of acceptance or enforcement.
- Strengthened Commitments to Align Financing: Parties reaffirmed their commitments to scale up biodiversity financing, albeit without securing sufficient immediate funds. @UN Sustainable Development Blog.
The Challenge of Funding: Operationalizing Target 19
While the agreements at COP16 laid a foundation, significant gaps remain in achieving Target 19’s financial goals:
- Harmful Subsidy Reform: Eliminating $500 billion in harmful subsidies remains a sticking point. These subsidies, which often fuel biodiversity degradation, could instead be redirected to conservation and restoration efforts.
- Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF): With only $407 million secured to date, the GBFF is drastically underfunded compared to the $200 billion annual target.
- Private Sector Involvement: Instruments such as biodiversity credits, green bonds, and ecosystem services valuation hold promise but face resistance from some Indigenous groups, who argue they commodify nature.
Forests as a Cornerstone of Biodiversity
The document The Forest Factor highlights the critical role of forests, which harbor 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, in achieving the KMGBF goals. Forests also contribute $250–539 billion annually to the global economy through ecosystem services, including carbon storage, water filtration, and pollination (Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2024): The Forest Factor: The role of protection, restoration and sustainable management of forests for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework).
For example, restoring degraded forest ecosystems provides benefits that exceed costs by 10 times through improved ecosystem services (IPBES, 2018).
Dynamic Solutions for Biodiversity Financing
Several strategies can drive progress on biodiversity financing:
- Corporate and Philanthropic Contributions: Businesses and third-sector organizations can fund forest conservation by valuing ecosystem services and adopting transparent reporting standards like those proposed by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). @TNFD.
- Innovative Financing Tools: Expanding mechanisms such as biodiversity credits or ecosystem payment services can attract private investments while ensuring fair and equitable terms for local communities.
- Subsidy Reallocation: Governments should implement swift reforms to redirect harmful subsidies into positive incentives for biodiversity conservation.
- Capacity Building for Indigenous Participation: Strengthening community-led forest management ensures equitable outcomes and enhances biodiversity resilience, as demonstrated in the restoration project at Ile aux Aigrettes in Mauritius (Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2024): The Forest Factor: The role of protection, restoration and sustainable management of forests for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework).
The Way Forward
COP16 underscored the critical importance of integrating biodiversity conservation into global and national financial frameworks. The path forward requires immediate action to bridge financing gaps, align policy incentives, and foster inclusive partnerships. The success of biodiversity conservation efforts depends on dynamic funding mechanisms, ethical conservation strategies, and sustained political will. By building on COP16’s achievements, the global community can move closer to a sustainable and harmonious relationship with Nature.
