Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider: We stand in solidarity with nature
Following two weeks of intensive negotiations, the 17th UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia, came to a close on the morning of 31 October. A range of decisions was taken on many important issues at the conference. The outcomes include a response to the first global review of the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework alongside new mechanisms for financing nature conservation. Further decisions advanced the empowerment of indigenous peoples and local communities, established guidelines for sharing benefits from the use of genetic resources and digital sequence information and strengthened the links between biodiversity conservation and global climate action.
Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider remarked: "The UN Biodiversity Conference in Yerevan delivered an honest assessment of progress. More areas are now protected, and destroyed natural environments are recovering in many places. But there is still a lot to do. Europe negotiated with a strong and united voice on behalf of nature. But others were reluctant to take on more responsibility, also in terms of funding. The negotiations were tough at times, but well worth the effort. Germany and many other partners around the world stand in solidarity with nature. After all, we cannot afford to treat the natural foundations of life carelessly. Germany remains a reliable partner and the largest donor to international nature conservation. We will continue our efforts to expand protected areas on land and at sea. The UN BBNJ Agreement will create significant new opportunities in the coming years for greater nature conservation in the most valuable areas of our oceans. But here in Germany, too, we will systematically tackle the restoration of our ecosystems. We are not only indebted to nature, we also need intact ecosystems for strong economies and healthy lives."
The first global review of the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) showed that, although a great deal has happened since 2022, efforts to date are not sufficient to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. Further measures are now needed to ensure that the conservation and restoration of nature worldwide progress more rapidly and equitably. Other decisions involved the Gender Action Plan, the management of invasive species, knowledge management and the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, as well as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
The next UN Biodiversity Conference is set to take place in Ecuador in 2028.
Key outcomes of the 17th UN Biodiversity Conference at a glance:
First global review of the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework
The international community has set itself ambitious targets with the Global Biodiversity Framework. At COP17, the first review and efforts to accelerate implementation were on the agenda. To get back on track by 2030, the international community must significantly step up the pace. The Yerevan Pathway, adopted at COP17, calls for action to be accelerated to meet the 2030 deadline. Initiatives like the Partnership for the Accelerated Implementation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAP Accelerator Partnership), which Germany launched together with Colombia four years ago at COP15, are making an important contribution to reaching this goal. It has since become a key support mechanism for global nature conservation for 77 member countries.
More funding for global nature conservation
Funding for global nature conservation was once again a contentious issue in the negotiations. A solid foundation was laid to enable further decisions to be taken at the next UN Biodiversity Conference on the CBD's permanent financial mechanism and on securing more robust and reliable nature conservation funding. On the difficult question of how to persuade more countries to contribute to supporting the Least Developed Countries and Small Island States in particular, agreement was at least reached on a clear process to be followed in the run-up to COP18.
Empowering indigenous peoples and local communities
The negotiations on the interests of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) focused on giving greater consideration to their rights, knowledge and role in decision-making and in the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework. As key stakeholders in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, the aim is for IPLCs to be effectively involved in decision-making processes, and for the rights to their land and its use, and their traditional knowledge and governance systems, to be recognised. A key outcome of the negotiations in this area was the operationalisation of the new subsidiary body, already agreed at COP16, to strengthen the participation of IPLCs in CBD processes. In future, too, they will be represented as co-chairs and on the advisory board of the new subsidiary body. This will enable them to contribute their traditional knowledge not only to the implementation of the fund administered by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), but also to CBD processes. In addition, guidelines were adopted to strengthen the national recognition of Indigenous and Traditional Territories (ITTs).
Digital sequence information
The benefit-sharing mechanism for digital sequence information on genetic resources, which was operationalised at COP16, and its global fund, the Cali Fund, were further developed at COP17. The aim was to enable higher and more reliable contributions to the Cali Fund by providing more legal certainty and clarity. As the technical issues could not be definitively resolved due to difficult negotiations, this work will continue until the next Conference of the Parties. In the meantime, the Steering Committee will be able to issue certificates for contributions made by companies as part of a pilot phase.