Thursday, March 28, 2024
News

Lack of progress for nature at UN talks: Civil society leaders

   SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend    Print this Page   COMMENT

Nairobi | Monday, 2022 1:15:09 AM IST
Various countries gathered past week in Nairobi for the final preparatory session before the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity which will be held in Montreal December 5-17.

While countries have repeatedly pointed to COP15 as an opportunity to deliver a global deal for nature and similar in significance to the Paris Climate Agreement, the lack of progress in this penultimate meeting has now threatened the outcome of the entire process, say civil society leaders.

With over 20 action targets in the draft agreement, known as the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, the goal for the Nairobi meetings was to resolve issues for up to 80 per cent of the negotiating text that had been put in brackets, which signals a disagreement amongst parties.

Not only did countries fail to progress, but in some cases, new disagreements threatened to move the process in the opposite direction.

The most fundamental issues, including how much funding would be committed to conserve biodiversity, and what percentage figures the world should strive to protect, conserve, and restore to address the extinction crisis, were not even addressed.

With time running out, civil society leaders and others are calling for urgent and increased political engagement and leadership at the highest level to deliver the ambitious, science-based agreement that is needed to safeguard nature around the world.

Brian O'Donnell, Director of the Campaign for Nature, said: "With the negotiations now faltering and with some key issues at a stalemate, it is up to heads of state and other political and United Nations leaders to act with the leadership and urgency required to bring countries together around an ambitious global biodiversity strategy.

"The elements of an ambitious agreement are there. Nearly 100 countries have come together to support the proposal to protect at least 30 per cent of the planet's land and ocean by 2030, one of the cornerstones of the draft agreement, and the crucial issue of protecting indigenous rights has widespread support.

"But time is now running out and countries need to step up, show the leadership that this moment requires, and act urgently to find compromise and solutions."

The Nature Conservancy's Director, Biodiversity Policy and Infrastructure, Linda Krueger, said: "Global interest from the UN Secretary General, ministers, and heads of state is needed in the run up to December, to secure anything like what is needed to slow the extinction and nature loss crisis.

"Despite scheduling this emergency meeting to address key sticking points within the draft Global Biodiversity Framework language, and also agreeing a date and host country for the final round of negotiations, we are appalled by the lack of progress this week. We need to raise this on the political agenda. The negotiations have lacked fire and momentum."

--IANS vg/vd

( 477 Words)

2022-06-26-19:28:03 (IANS)

 
  LATEST COMMENTS (0)
POST YOUR COMMENT
Comments Not Available
 
POST YOUR COMMENT
 
 
TRENDING TOPICS
 
 
CITY NEWS
MORE CITIES
 
 
 
MORE WORLD NEWS
'We encourage fair, transparent and time...
India-China hold 29th round of diplomati...
EAM S Jaishankar concludes two-day offic...
Earthquake of magnitude 4.2 hits Afghani...
'There were power challenges as freight ...
'Enforced disappearances continue to dev...
More...
 
INDIA WORLD ASIA
Telangana: Fire breaks out at Ravi Foods...
UP's improved law and order to be the do...
From 'Microphone' to 'Pressure Cooker', ...
ASI continues survey at Bhojshala Comple...
CISF Jawan shoots self at Kolkata airpor...
'INDIA bloc has no presence; united to a...
More...    
 
 Top Stories
Coming up on Friday: PM Modi-Bill G... 
ED attaches asset worth Rs 70 lakh ... 
Jamia Millia Islamia appoints Mohd ... 
Lok Sabha polls: Congress candidate... 
"China may repeat its baseless clai... 
ED seizes Rs 3.89 crore in raids at... 
Pushkar Singh Dhami visits Nanakmat... 
"Something going right": Hardeep Pu...