This blog is authored by Zuhura Ahmad.
"After 4 years of hard work, we’ve now reached the end of the journey. We have before us the fruit of our work. A package that can guide us to halt and reverse biodiversity loss for the benefit of all people." Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology & Environment of China and COP15 President.
Representatives from 196 national governments gathered in Montreal, Canada, from December 7-19, 2022, at “COP15” to advance the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD), as well as the Convention’s Gender Plan of Action (GPA) and related Targets that will help the globe strengthen inclusive conservation.
Youth4Nature supported four youth delegates to attend COP15, where we advocated for meaningful youth inclusion, rights-based approaches, and explicit connections between nature and climate. Our three messages were:
No action with nature, youth, or justice
We won’t back down, we will be at the table, and we’re stronger together
No co-option, no false solutions
Y4N delegates Iman Lalani (left) and Oluawaseun Adekugube (right) preparing for the Global March for Biodiversity and Human Rights at COP15.
Why did we take part in COP15, and what did we do there?
COP15 was the biggest, most important global meeting on biodiversity in over a decade, where the global framework for addressing the biodiversity crisis was discussed and decided on by world leaders. By being there in-person, we were able to ensure that the perspectives and priorities of our global youth community would be present within these discussions.
For a look into the work we accomplished in Montreal last December, check out the photo gallery below:
Photos taken by Cesar Montes Figueroa, our Communications & Media Lead at COP15.
What happened at cop15?
At the end of COP15 on December 19, every nation who is a party to the UN CBD signed on to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), an agreement that includes the commitment for nations to protect 30% of lands and oceans by 2030 (called “30x30” or “30 by 30”) and 22 other targets intended to reduce global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation.
In total, COP15 adopted a package of 6 items:
L25: Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)
L26: Monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
L27: Mechanisms for planning, monitoring, reporting and review
L28: Capacity-building and development and technical and scientific cooperation
L29: Resource mobilisation
L30: Digital sequence information on genetic resources.
The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres responded to the outcome of COP15, saying “We are finally starting to forge a peace pact with nature”.
But an agreement is not enough to halt devastating losses of global biodiversity. What remains now is implementation, and frameworks to hold each and everyone accountable to fulfil the objectives of the newly adopted Global Biodiversity Framework.
Reflections from Y4N
“Attending this CBD COP15 gave me the perspective of how things work on the highest levels of policy making. Now I have a better idea of what needs to be done and where our efforts can be better spent advocacy wise. Also this experience helped me to connect with people from different organisations around the world and that will help me with the storytelling job and to create synergies for more impactful outcomes.”
- Cesar Montes Figueroa: Y4N’s Communications, media & storytelling lead at COP15.
We have taken a huge step forward by attending COP15 and supporting a global youth delegation in this space. This was the first time that Youth4Nature has participated in the CBD negotiations in-person, and us being here enabled us to contribute to, share, support, and strengthen the joint voices calling for better, more meaningful, and more supportive youth engagement in international biodiversity policy spaces.
We want to give a big thanks to everyone who made this historic moment for us possible!
Youth4Nature’s COP15 delegation. From left to right: Oluwaseun Adekugbe, Iman Lalani, Julia Bethe, & Cesar Montes Figueroa.
Our team continues working for nature, climate, and youth in 2023. Make sure to follow us on social media and keep up with our work.
Author: Zuhura Ahmad
Zuhura is a Global Ambassador and member of Global Storytelling Community at Youth4Nature. She has consistently dedicate to biodiversity conservation as the co-founder of the Tanzanian Youth Biodiversity Network and as a member of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network.
Zuhura has been a leader in co-organizing, and strong advocate in engaging youth and women and implementing conservation and sustainability initiatives in her community. She has contributed to various projects and initiatives aimed at engaging youth in protecting biodiversity in Tanzania and has shown exceptional leadership skills in coordinating and collaborating with members from different countries. In addition to her passion for biodiversity, she is also deeply committed to issues of gender and biodiversity policy. Currently, she serves as the leader of the CBD Women Program at Tanzania Biodiversity Organization, where she works to support and advance the integration of a gender-responsive approach in the implementation of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
Find Zuhura on LinkedIn and Twitter.