The four key decisions reached in part one of COP15

The high-level segment of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) has now completed, with the second of the two-part conference to come in April 2022. So what key decisions did world leaders make on how to ensure habitats and species around the world can continue to thrive? We take a look at four below.

1. Kunming Declaration adopted

Over 100 nations agreed to adopt the Kunming Declaration, committing to develop, adopt and implement an effective post-2020 global biodiversity framework that would put biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030 at the latest, towards the full realisation of the 2050 Vision of “Living in Harmony with Nature”.

2. Kunming Biodiversity Fund created

China's president Xi Jinping announced a 1.5 billion yuan (about US $230 million) investment in establishing the Kunming Biodiversity Fund to support biodiversity protection in developing countries.

3. Greater cash injections on biodiversity announced: including UK, EU and Japan

Several countries announced increased international funding to support biodiversity. This included the EU noting the doubling of external funding for biodiversity and France's president Macron noting the commitment for 30 per cent of climate funds to be used for biodiversity. The UK goverment also announced that a significant part of its increased climate funding will be directed towards biodiversity. Elsewhere Japan's government announced it would be extending its Japan Biodiversity Fund by 1.8 billion yen (about US $17 million).

4. Fast-tracked financial and technical support for developing countries announced

The Global Environment Facility, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), announced their commitment to fast-track immediate financial and technical support to developing country governments to prepare for the rapid implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework once it is formally agreed at COP15 next year.

More on COP15:

Join outgoing CIWEM president and Let's Talk WEM Podcast host Niki Roach and her co-host Richard Benwell as they interview Craig Bennett, the CEO of The Wildlife Trusts and hear his reflections on how COVID and the nature emergency are linked, our current progress on the nature emergency and what a successful COP15 looks like.