The negotiations are entering a critical phase at the UN conference on biodiversity (COP15), while all the major elements of the future global agreement remain to be confirmed. If more than a hundred countries have rallied around the idea of protecting 30% of the planet’s natural environments by the end of the decade, the billions of dollars needed to achieve this are still not there. , despite the presence of all the rich countries in Montreal.
As part of a “high ambition for nature and people” initiative, 116 countries have so far agreed to achieve a crucial target for biodiversity protection: protecting 30% terrestrial and maritime natural environments by 2030.
“To achieve the protection of 30% of natural environments, we will need the commitment of all countries. The scientific evidence is clear and irrefutable: biodiversity is on an artificial respirator and we are at a critical point. And no one is different. We depend on the same planet and the same biodiversity, “said Canadian Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault on Friday, surrounded by ministers from other countries of this” coalition “.
While reiterating his desire to make COP15 a “Paris moment” – in reference to the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, Mr. Guilbeault recognized in the same breath that the objectives of protecting the planet’s ecosystems and halting the decline of global biodiversity will require “sufficient financial resources in all countries”.
He also maintained that the developed countries have “heard very clearly” the demands of the developing countries in this regard. The implementation of a biodiversity protection framework will in fact involve hundreds of billions of dollars by 2030. These funds will be necessary, for example, to protect land and sea natural environments, transform agricultural practices, reduce use of pesticides and pollution, but also restore ecosystems degraded by human activity.
As part of the negotiations in Montreal, African countries, Latin American countries, but also India and Indonesia, in particular, are demanding $100 billion a year. They also call for the creation of a fund specifically dedicated to the implementation of the “post-2020” framework for biodiversity.
However, despite the intensive negotiations that are now led by the 126 ministers gathered at the Palais des Congrès, this issue is still not resolved. “We are still working on the text for the mobilization of finance, acknowledged Steven Guilbeault on Friday. I can’t tell you exactly where things will land. He stressed, however, that he “difficult” sees how money could not be pledged in the context of the ambition that is expected from rich countries, such as climate commitments.
Divisions
The Minister, who is working closely with the Chinese presidency of the conference to try to resolve the problems that persist, was due to hold more than fifteen meetings on Friday during the day and evening with various delegations and various stakeholders, in order to advance the negotiations with a view to signing an agreement for 19 December. “The minister is pushing very hard to find an agreement with the other countries,” argued his cabinet.
Canada also took advantage of COP15 to increase its international funding for biodiversity to $1.5 billion. Announcements that aim to demonstrate that it is “possible” to do more, according to Eddy Perez, director of international climate diplomacy at the Climate Action Network. He believes that other countries must now follow suit to avoid a failure of the discussions or the signing of an agreement that would be diluted, because of the persistent divisions.
“If we can’t get to 100 billion dollars, can we have at least an initial strategy for mobilizing resources, say 30, 40 or 50 billion dollars? Then, we could start discussions to increase resources by COP16, which will take place in Turkey, he explained on Friday. We need a large amount so that countries, for example in Africa, can be sure that there will be money quickly for implementation. »
Thursday, 14 countries, including France and Germany, have precisely made financial commitments totaling a few billion dollars. “But there are 31 countries contributing development aid. Where are the others ? They are all at COP15, but we are still waiting for public commitments, which makes some countries doubt their intentions in terms of international solidarity,” according to Eddy Perez.
The current impasse over funding will have to be resolved by the ministers responsible for fine-tuning the negotiating text by the end of the day on Saturday. In any case, several observers expect the negotiations to continue beyond December 19, with a possible extension of 24 hours.
If we cannot arrive at 100 billion dollars, can we have at least an initial strategy for mobilizing resources, say 30, 40 or 50 billion dollars? Then, we could start discussions to increase resources by COP16, which will take place in Turkey.
According to the most recent version of the text under negotiation, issues such as the target for the protection of 30% of natural environments, but also the objectives for restoring degraded ecosystems, are still not settled. They are therefore in “brackets” in the text. The same goes for the need to curb the extinction of species attributable to human activity.
This inability to agree, despite three years of discussions ahead of COP15, was denounced on Friday by the Global Youth Biodiversity Network, which organized a visibility action in front of the plenary room where the delegates meet. “We are the future and we are the ones in brackets. And we would like the hooks to fall, ”summarized a spokeswoman, Alice Maud Jacobee.