CBD Convention: A Global Event for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development

CBD convention is the short name for the Convention on Biological Diversity, which is a global treaty that aims to protect the diversity of life on Earth and promote its sustainable use. The CBD convention was signed by 150 government leaders at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and has since been ratified by 196 parties, including 195 countries and the European Union. The CBD convention is one of the key instruments for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

What are the Objectives and Principles of the CBD Convention?

The CBD convention has three main objectives:

• To conserve biological diversity, which includes the diversity of ecosystems, species, and genes.
• To use biological diversity in a sustainable way, which means ensuring that its benefits are shared fairly and equitably among present and future generations.
• To share the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources, which are the material or information derived from living organisms that have actual or potential value.

The CBD convention is based on a few key principles:

• The sovereign rights of states over their own biological resources, which means that each country has the authority and responsibility to manage and regulate its own biodiversity.
• The common but differentiated responsibilities of states, which means that each country has a different level of obligation and capacity to contribute to the global biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.
• The precautionary approach, which means that when there is a threat of significant harm to biodiversity, action should be taken even if there is a lack of scientific certainty.
• The ecosystem approach, which means that biodiversity should be managed in a holistic way that considers the interactions and interdependencies among different components of ecosystems.

What are the Main Achievements and Challenges of the CBD Convention?

The CBD convention has achieved many milestones and successes since its inception, such as:

• Developing and adopting the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, which is a global framework for action to achieve the vision of living in harmony with nature by 2050.
• Developing and adopting the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, which are 20 specific and measurable goals to achieve the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 by 2020.
• Developing and adopting the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, which is a supplementary agreement that provides rules and mechanisms for implementing the third objective of the CBD convention.
• Developing and adopting the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which is another supplementary agreement that aims to ensure the safe handling, transport, and use of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.
• Developing and adopting the Global Taxonomy Initiative, which is a cross-cutting initiative that aims to enhance the capacity and knowledge of taxonomy, which is the science of naming, describing, and classifying living organisms.
• Developing and adopting the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, which is a framework for action to conserve plant diversity and its sustainable use.
• Developing and adopting the Programme of Work on Protected Areas, which is a set of goals, targets, activities, and tools to establish and manage a global network of protected areas for biodiversity conservation.
• Developing and adopting the Programme of Work on Island Biodiversity, which is a set of actions to address the unique challenges and opportunities faced by island ecosystems and communities.

However, the CBD convention also faces many challenges and gaps in its implementation, such as:

• The insufficient progress in achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets by 2020, as indicated by the Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 report, which shows that none of the targets have been fully met, while only six have been partially achieved.
• The lack of adequate financial resources, technical assistance, capacity building, technology transfer, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation mechanisms to support the implementation of the CBD convention at all levels.
• The lack of effective integration of biodiversity considerations into other sectors and policies, such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, energy, mining, tourism, health, trade, development, education, etc.
• The lack of sufficient awareness, engagement, participation, collaboration, coordination, communication, education, and outreach among various stakeholders involved in or affected by biodiversity issues.

What are the Future Plans and Opportunities for the CBD Convention?

The CBD convention is currently preparing for its 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15), which is scheduled to take place in Kunming-Montreal in October-November 2023. COP 15 is expected to be a landmark event for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Some of the expected outcomes and opportunities for COP 15 are:

• Adopting a new global biodiversity framework for the post-2020 period. This framework will build on the lessons learned from the previous Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and will set new ambitious and realistic goals, targets, indicators, and actions for the next decade and beyond.
• Mobilizing adequate and predictable resources for the implementation of the new global biodiversity framework. This will include increasing domestic and international funding, enhancing financial mechanisms, leveraging private sector investments, and mainstreaming biodiversity into other sectors and policies.
• Enhancing cooperation and partnerships among various actors and stakeholders for the implementation of the new global biodiversity framework. This will include strengthening the role and participation of indigenous peoples and local communities, civil society organizations, women, youth, academia, media, etc.
• Raising awareness and generating political momentum for the implementation of the new global biodiversity framework. This will include launching a global campaign to communicate the importance and urgency of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, and to inspire action and commitment from all levels and sectors.

Conclusion

CBD convention is a global event that brings together the world’s governments, experts, practitioners, and stakeholders to address the challenges and opportunities of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. The CBD convention has achieved many successes in developing and adopting global frameworks, agreements, initiatives, strategies, and programmes for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. However, the CBD convention also faces many challenges in implementing its objectives and principles effectively and efficiently. The CBD convention is now preparing for its 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15), which will be a crucial opportunity to adopt a new global biodiversity framework for the post-2020 period, mobilize adequate resources, enhance cooperation and partnerships, and raise awareness and political momentum for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.