The world of environmental diplomacy is gearing up for another crucial summit. The 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity is taking place in Kunming in China in April 2022.
COP15 is expected to agree targets for reversing the decline in biodiversity by 2050 although, as ever, agreeing targets is the easy bit. None of the 20 targets set in Aichi in Japan in 2010 have been met.
A draft convention was published in January 2021. This has now been reviewed by more than 50 scientists who have concluded that the draft target of protecting 30% of our land and seas by 2050 is not enough. They say that expanding national parks and other protected areas may slow the decline in biodiversity but it will not stop it, never mind reverse it. They call for transformative action across every area of life, including a massive reduction in harmful agricultural and fishing subsidies, holding global heating to 1.5°C and tackling human over-consumption, especially of meat.
This is particularly relevant to the UK as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. In March 2019, the UK self-assessed that it was on track to achieve only 5 of the 20 Aichi targets. The UK is not on track to achieve those on pollution, vulnerable ecosystems, the conservation status of species or restoring degraded ecosystems.
Our national parks, far from being managed to restore biodiversity, are given over in large part to agriculture and driven grouse shooting. In England’s national parks, 75% of Sites of Special Scientific Interest are in a poor condition. Our rivers and seas are polluted by agricultural chemicals and raw sewage. The area of crops treated with pesticides increased by 53% between 1990 and 2010. The Birds of Conservation Concern Red List increased from 36 to 70 species between 1996 and 2021.
All eyes will be on the world's governments to see what promises they make at COP15 in Kunming and on their effective delivery.
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