After three days of rapid talks in Rome, which broke the deadlock from the 2024 summit, the nation has reached an agreement on a plan to give funds to protect wildlife in some poorest countries in the world.
Delegates stood up and clapped as a decision, well adopted in the last hour of extended UN Biodiversity Conference,
“The applause is for all of you. You have done a wonderful job,” said Susana Muhammad, president of COP16, Colombia.
The director of the Global Movement Campaign for Brian O’Donal, Nature for Nature described the decision after years of negotiations as “very welcome”. “In these turbulent times, it is inspiring 196 countries to see the differences and national challenges to come together and reach a shared solution.”
Parties for the United Nations Conference on biological diversity In last year Cop16 Conference In Cali, Colombia was unable to reach a consensus on how to distribute $ 200 billion (€ 192.5 billion) per year to fund the biodiversity initiative worldwide by 2030.
Opening the talks in the Italian capital this week, former environmental Colombian Minister Mohammed urged the delegates that “for some which is probably the most important objective of humanity in the 21st century, which is our collective ability to maintain life on this planet.”
Why did Cali not talk?
One of the main glued points for giving money for biodiversity conservation, especially for poor nations, was on the mechanism.
Developing countries led by Brazil and African groups wanted to see the creation of a new fund, which would address their needs in ways he said that existing financial mechanisms do not.
Wildlife Protection NGO WWF Germany’s International Policy Analyst Florian Titz said that it could be difficult to apply for international funds under the current rules.
“For at least developed countries that do not have much capacity, sometimes going through these processes is very challenging and it is time taking. It is not very efficient,” he told DW.
The rich nations led by the European Union, Japan and Canada, meanwhile, warned that many funds could prepare assistance. He also highlighted the need for accountability on expenditure.
“The argument of the answer is clearly that ‘these are the money of our taxpayers, so we can not only give it to you and what you want with it.” So domestic political issues also come in it, “Titz explained.
While the new decision does not specify a new finance mechanism, it outlines a route to decide on institutions that will provide funds in the coming years.
“This is a good and very important success. It indicates that despite great disagreement and different ideas, and even with the resulting strong feelings, the global community can still come together, pull their sleeves, and draw out their differences,” Titz said.
Why is there a need to preserve biodiversity?
Biodiversity is necessary for the health of the planet, but also to maintain human life. Experts estimate that more than 75% of food crops depend on insects and other species for pollination and that modern drugs are derived from about half of natural resources.
In addition, the houses of the forest and ocean absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide, which helps reduce the effects of rising global temperature.
However, scientists have warned that the species are rapidly disappearing at a dangerous speed, a report described how the average size of the wildlife population has fallen to about 73% between 1970 and 2020.
Experts blame human activities, such as unsatisfactory agricultural practices, deforestation and dissemination of pollution, declining. They say that the natural world can reach tiping points associated with “irreversible and frightening” effects for people and nature.
“We make the mistake of seeing (biodiversity) as a niche subject and something that is not politically important,” Titz said. “When we look at our societies, our economies, our safety, even health, all these things are underlined by nature.”
Bio -distress
Over the years, countries have started taking biodiversity loss More seriously. At the United Nations Summit in 2022, the leaders reached a historic agreement to meet 30% land and ambitious goals to protect the maritime areas by the end of the decade. They also agreed to restore 30% of humiliated areas during the same period.
To track progress towards goals, governments had to present national biodiversity strategies and NBSAPS by October last year. Four months, 46 of the 196 parties have entered their submissions, as well as the UK, which became the last G7 nation to release its strategy at the beginning of the summit in Rome. But the list does not include the US, which is only one of the two countries – the other is the Vatican – not the party for the United Nations Biodiversity Conference.
“The fact is that almost every government in the world is visible and is actually taking it seriously, encouraging me,” the Jill Hepp Biodiversity Policy Lead said in the non -profit conservation international.
“I think it talks to the fact that biodiversity is not only about charismatic species – while they are important – but there is a lot of idea on the importance of nature to provide food and water and clean air,” he said.
