World 'not on the right track' for biodiversity commitments ahead of COP17

As the world prepares for the COP17 biodiversity conference in Armenia this October, a stark warning has been issued: global efforts are falling significantly short of the commitments made four years ago at COP15 in Montreal. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), under the United Nations, stated that "the world is not on the right track" to achieve its nature protection goals.

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The parties recognize that the world is not on the right track to achieve the biodiversity goals.

Astrid Schomaker, the executive secretary of the CBD, emphasized the urgency required at the upcoming Yerevan conference. "The task that awaits us in Yerevan in nine weeks will require all the endurance and determination that the parties can muster," she said following preparatory meetings in Nairobi. COP17 aims to bring nearly all the world's nations together to review the progress on promises made, including the commitment to protect 30% of the planet by 2030 and to increase annual aid for biodiversity in developing countries to $30 billion.

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The task that awaits us in Yerevan in nine weeks will require all the endurance and determination that the parties can muster.

While acknowledging that some progress has been made across various targets, Schomaker noted that "implementation is not yet happening at the necessary pace and scale." A CBD report highlights that while conservation efforts show promising signs, the "means of implementation", such as mobilizing resources, redirecting harmful subsidies, and ensuring inclusive governance, have advanced slowly. The convention also recognizes "divergences" among countries on how to accelerate their efforts towards the 2030 goals.

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It is true that progress is being made on all targets. But implementation is not yet happening at the necessary pace and scale.

Intense discussions are reportedly underway concerning the "Cali Fund." This mechanism, established at the previous COP16 in Colombia, is intended to distribute a small portion of the substantial profits generated by companies from resources (plants or animals) taken from developing countries. The CBD comprises 196 member states, including the European Union, but notably excludes the United States.

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Although the elements contained in the global report show promising efforts concerning conservation objectives, others, relating to the means of implementation, have progressed slowly, such as resource mobilization, the redirection of harmful subsidies, or inclusive governance.