Monday, 11 October 2021 welcomed the official opening of the first part of the 15th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), commonly referred to as COP15 or Kunming COP, under the People’s Republic of China presidency. It can be complicated to follow and understand the topics at events like these, especially from an outside perspective! This blog aims to help increase understanding of international environmental policy and related negotiations, particularly on the topic of biodiversity, which is less known than climate change and sometimes confused with it.
History of the CBD
In 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, political leaders, diplomats, scientists, journalists and civil society members from 179 countries gathered during the Earth Summit. The meeting took place 20 years after the first Human Environment Conference in Stockholm.
At the end of the summit, three conventions were signed and later ratified by all parties1:
Together, these are commonly called the “Rio Conventions”.
Upon taking suit in December 1993, the CBD now constitutes 196 Parties and has three main objectives:
the conservation of biological diversity
the sustainable use of biological resources
the fair and just sharing of the benefits from genetic resources exploitation
Since 2019, Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema has acted as the Executive Secretary of the CBD, following previous roles as the Director of the Law Division as well as a vast experience working with UNEP for over two decades as a specialist in Environmental Law and Policy. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) is based in Montreal, Canada, and operates under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to support the convention's objectives and goals.
How are objectives fulfilled?
To make sure the objectives of the CBD are fulfilled, parties gather during Conferences of Parties (COPs) and sign agreements with targets and goals. Each specific COP and outcome is always referred to based on the city in which it was hosted (eg. The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (2010) and The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000) are supplementary agreements to the Convention).
The 15th COP & the Post-2020 framework
The 15th Conference of Parties under the CBD is happening in 2021 and 2022 after several postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time, it has been split into two phases. The first session, happening virtually between 11 and 15 October 2021, intends to continue the CBD’s technical work and protocol implementation. Additionally, after 2 days of high-level meetings, Parties are expected to produce the Kunming Declaration to build political momentum towards the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The second session, currently expected to be in-person in Kunming, China from 25 April to 8 May 2022, will address the final items of the agenda, including finalising negotiations and wrap-up the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
Okay, but what is the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework?
The Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework will drive actions based on the achievement of the 2050 Vision “Living in Harmony with Nature” report, which includes 4 global targets and sets 2030 Action Targets, including the highly discussed 30-by-30 target. This new framework takes over the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (20 targets) to create a ten-year framework for action by all countries to save biodiversity. It may be one of the first global agreements to include “Nature-based Solutions”. The new framework will support national and regional actions and be a key milestone in achieving the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Theory of change of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework from the updated draft.
The final version of the framework will be adopted by Parties in May 2022 in Kunming, China, at the end of COP15. Negotiations about its content have been running for a couple of years now and will continue during COP15 based on the updated version from the third meeting of the Open ended working group (OEWG3). Besides countries and regional groups (e.g. The European Union), other groups such as Youth, Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLC), Women, and many varied NGOs are advocating and trying to contribute to the framework, making sure that their vision and expectations are included. The Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), who “represents the voice of global youth in the negotiations under the CBD, raises awareness among young people on the values of biodiversity, and connects individuals and youth organizations in order to build a global coalition to halt the loss of biodiversity.”, has been leading youth involvement in the framework. Their advocacy work has included a global online survey to collect the views and priorities of young people around the world about biodiversity and its future, as part of their CBD and COP15 journey!
Updated roadmap to COP153:
SBSTTA 24 is the 24th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice that is composed of intergovernmental experts giving guidelines and recommendations to the COP. SBI-3 is the CBD Subsidiary Body on Implementation. It aims to assure good implementation of the Convention. Article
What to expect
It is certain that something will come out of the COP15 in April after the in-person gathering at Kunming, China, but uncertainties remain regarding the content of the signed text and how legally binding it will be. Ideally, the COP15 outcome will be a strong commitment to addressing the biodiversity crisis, creating an ambitious framework with clear and strong guidelines for people and nature.
By bringing global leaders together, we are to expect commitments and actions to achieve the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity “Living in Harmony with Nature”.
In short, we can set global expectations that (a) Parties make quick commitments and take ambitious actions regarding biodiversity and all CBD objectives, especially within a high-level new framework (Post-2020 GBF), and (b) the biodiversity crisis topic is kept at the top level in international discussions and decision-making processes. There is increased urgency after the failure of the Aichi Targets and the previous UN Decade for Biodiversity Conservation, but with these expectations, we can move in the right direction.
As young people, we have further expectations from such key milestone events, including:
More commitments and actions around a holistic approach ending the usual tokenism;
Recognition of the leading role of youth in biodiversity conservation;
Recognition of the heterogeneity of youth groups in terms of expertise, experiences, and background; and
Meaningful inclusion and involvement of diverse and marginalised communities, including IPLC, women, LGBTQA+, etc., in decision-making and implementation processes.
Being involved and informed
What can we do? How can you be involved and help move things forward? There are so many ways to be engaged! No need to be fully committed to going in-person to the next round of diplomatic negotiations. A lot is happening online and even from your place, you can have a great impact!
1. Find the right information that can help you understand and strengthen your advocacy work
Scientific work & publications:
Many reports and scientific publications are written and published online about nature, climate change, and all related topics. The two main institutions gathering worldwide knowledge on climate change and nature loss are respectively the IPCC and the IPBES.
The latest IPBES Global Assessment brought clear evidence of the unprecedented nature loss we are facing. The urgency of the results has been shared by many organisations and individuals such as the UN and WWF International.
From a Twitter thread by @bonpote where IPCC report key points are shared and translated in several languages.
Global organisations such as IUCN, WWF, youth groups such as GYBN, regional institutions such as the EU, AWF are also publishing reports, policy analysis, toolkits, and info briefs on targeted topics related to biodiversity and climate issues. To become more familiar with specific sections related to biodiversity and advocacy, you can explore the website from ICLEI, Local & Subnational advocacy for nature. They have webinar series about the post-2020 framework useful to better understand and engage on the topic.
2. Keep updated about COP15 and the CBD
CBD’s official socials:
You can follow CBD’s official social media (Facebook; Twitter; Linkedin; Instagram) and their website. They regularly update the status of the COP15, the post-2020 draft, and many other processes related to the CBD. With all the changes in schedule, it is the best place to find the latest dates and updates.
The CBD also has a dedicated webpage about the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework and about the COP15 with a detailed schedule of the negotiations. The first part of COP15, starting Monday 11th October can be followed online by non-Parties through live videos on Youtube.
Hashtags to follow:
#ForNature
#Post2020
#Post2020GBF
Groups directly involved in COP15 work:
You can also follow parties and non-parties that share updates!
The Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework partnership is engaging towards a global deal for nature and people with an ambitious COP15 agreement and effective implementation after the COP15.
We will be following other awesome youth groups like the GYBN! GYBN published a guidebook on CBD processes in a nutshell, providing information to young people wanting to effectively participate in the negotiations and advocacy processes. Definitely check that out!
At Y4N, we will also closely following the CBD work and the incoming COP15, with a strong focus on Nature-based solutions and the climate-nature nexus. Follow us on this journey online (@Y4Nature)!
In partnership with YOUNGO and GYBN, we are working on a Global Youth Statement on Nature-based Solutions and published an info brief on the topic that is expected to be at the heart of discussions. Keep your ears and eyes open for more by-youth, for-youth action!
Do not hesitate to engage with these groups and individuals!
3. Find out what your country is committing to & follow their progress
Follow your countries or regional official team. While being directly involved in the CBD work and Parties’ negotiations requires an official accreditation by the Secretariat, you can still have great influence and join your regional groups or decision-makers that are being involved in framing policies. You can make sure youth are involved and we are leaving the usual tokenism behind!
GYBN’s regional and/or national chapters can help you by being directly connected to decision-makers and NGOs.
By keeping up to date with regional progress, you might be able to put pressure on your local government as well!
4. Look at the outcomes of UNFCCC's COP26 in November 2021
From the end of October 2021, the world will look to Glasgow, Scotland, where COY16 and COP26 will take place under the UNFCCC. For the first time ever, the “Climate COP” has a Nature Day! Nature and climate have never been considered so closely in these spaces!
Negotiations that will happen during COP26 are de facto separated from the COP15 negotiations. In the end, nature and climate need to be considered together and the outcomes of COP26 will directly impact biodiversity and the CBD processes, especially knowing that climate change is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss. “Nature-based Solutions” are becoming highly discussed and part of decision-making as a key tool to combat climate change, in terms of adaptation and mitigation.
Youth4Nature will have a delegation at COP26. Make sure to follow us online to keep updated about everything happening in Glasgow. Another youth group to closely follow is YOUNGO, the Youth Constituency of the UNFCCC, which represents the Youth at UN events related to climate change and UNFCCC.
Now what?
Understanding how international negotiations work, how they impact us at a local level, and how we can be involved can feel like a daunting task. We hope this blog not only provided you with a starting point for learning more about the CBD and biodiversity decision-making, but also with some useful suggestions about how you can get involved, get connected, and get advocating for a future for people and for nature. Be sure to let us know what you think and share your questions in the comments below!
This blog was written and submitted by the Y4N Policy Taskforce, including Aiita Joshua Apamaku, Julia Bethe, Rachel Boere, Raysa França, Evan Guy, and Ibrahim Inusa.
More information:
You can find a selection of articles from the Campaign for Nature here.
Footnotes:
By “parties” we mean states actors that ratified the Convention
It is under the UNFCCC that the famous Paris Agreement during COP21 was signed.
The dates are the ones known to date (7/10/2021). They may be subject to changes considering the evolution of the current COVID-19 pandemic situation.