In the closing days of 2022, global agreement on biodiversity was reached. 

After two gruelling weeks, governments at the COP15 biodiversity conference in Montreal reached an agreement - signing off on the “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework”, which aims to protect a third of the land and oceans for nature by 2030.  

The agreement includes 23 targets:

  • Effective conservation and management of at least 30 per cent of the world’s lands, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans, with emphasis on areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services. The GBF prioritises ecologically-representative, well-connected and equitably-governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories and practices. Currently 17 per cent and 10 per cent of the world’s terrestrial and marine areas respectively are under protection.

  • Have restoration completed or underway on at least 30 per cent of degraded terrestrial, inland waters, and coastal and marine ecosystems

  • Reduce to near zero the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance,including ecosystems of high ecological integrity

  • Cut global food waste in half and significantly reduce over consumption and waste generation

  • Reduce by half both excess nutrients and the overall risk posed by pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals

  • Progressively phase out or reform by 2030 subsidies that harm biodiversity by at least $500 billion per year, while scaling up positive incentives for biodiversity’s conservation and sustainable use

  • Mobilise by 2030 at least $200 billion per year in domestic and international biodiversity-related funding from all sources – public and private

  • Raise international financial flows from developed to developing countries,in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and countries with economies in transition, to at least US$ 20 billion per year by 2025, and to at least US$ 30 billion per year by 2030

  • Prevent the introduction of priority invasive alien species, and reduce by at least half the introduction and establishment of other known or potential invasive alien species, and eradicate or control invasive alien species on islands and other priority sites

  • Require large and transnational companies and financial institutions to monitor, assess, and transparently disclose their risks, dependencies and impacts on biodiversity through their operations, supply and value chains and portfolios

Professor Euan Ritchie - an expert in wildlife ecology and conservation at Deakin University - says climate change and biodiversity decline and extinction are the greatest threats humanity currently faces. 

“The four main goals and 23 targets for 2030, the ‘Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’, are welcome, but we must recognise that words and intentions are one thing, it’s corresponding and genuine action and meaningful measurable outcomes that matter,” he said. 

“We must acknowledge the sobering truth that we’ve fallen a long way short on previous similar ambitions, including the 2010 Biodiversity Target and Aichi Targets, and progress on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is inadequate. 

“From individuals to communities, industry and government, we must all do what is within our capacity to reduce harm to the environment and accelerate recovery and repair where possible. A key requirement will be leadership that is ambitious and accountable.”

Dr Ralf Buckley - an Emeritus Professor in the School of Environment and Science at Griffith University - said there is much work to be done. 

"Yes, the 30 by 30 target is an improvement on the 17 per cent Aichi targets.  It’s a new target. 

“But so far, it’s a rhetorical improvement. We haven’t even reached 17 per cent yet. 

“Australia, for example, is still logging native forest and clearing native woodland. 

“There are also many weaknesses. It says little about protected areas or conservation, and nothing about wilderness or pristine ecosystems. It is all about sustainable use. 

“There is no protection for any threatened species. There is nothing remotely comparable to the level of protection in the US Endangered Species Act, enacted 50 years ago. 

“There are carrots, but no sticks such as trade sanctions, because the Convention on Biological Diversity is less powerful than the World Trade Organisation.  

“The preamble is full of get-out clauses saying that individual countries can do whatever they want.  The goals are global, not country by country. Targets for reducing extinctions are two generations away.”