WCS is holding a virtual media briefing on Thursday, December 1st, 8AM ET in advance of CBD CoP15 in Montreal Canada.

Join WCS experts to learn about key issues to be discussed at this landmark gathering. Register here for media briefing. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

The UN Biodiversity Conference, which includes the second part of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD CoP15), will convene governments from around the world to agree to a new set of goals and targets for nature as part of a post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The current draft of post-2020 framework sets out an ambitious plan to guide governments in implementing actions - from protected and conserved areas to ending unsustainable exploitation - that will bring about a transformation in society’s relationship with biodiversity. However, it all remains subject to final negotiations in Montreal.

You can follow WCS activities at CBD CoP15 and our positions at this link which will be updated throughout the meeting: WCS CBD CoP15 Updates

What: WCS Media Briefing on CBD CoP15 – all you need know about the issues and key developments to follow

When: Thursday, Dec. 1, 8AM ET Dateful Time Zone Converter

Where: Via Zoom. Register Here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lw8FJW4-Sb2H-MrdhtHoEw

Who:

Dr. Susan Lieberman, VP of International Policy for the Wildlife Conservation Society

Dr. Justina Ray, President and Senior Scientist for WCS Canada

Alfred DeGemmis, Associate Director of International Policy for the Wildlife Conservation Society

Interviews throughout CBD CoP15 can aarranged through Mary Dixon: mdixon@wcs.org; or text through WhatsApp: +1-347-840-1242, or Stephen Sautner: ssautner@wcs.org; or text through WhatsApp: +1 908 247 2585

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) urges CBD Parties to ensure that the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF), as adopted by Parties at CBD CoP15.2 in December 2022, does the following:

  1. Establishes a goal of improving ecological integrity by 2030, including by retaining natural, high integrity (or intact) ecosystems. Maintaining and enhancing ecological integrity - or the composition, structure, and function of ecosystems - is essential at national and global scales to achieve biodiversity and sustainable development objectives (read more here).
  1. Sets a meaningful and equitable target to protect and conserve at least 30% of land and ocean areas by 2030. WCS strongly supports an ambitious, evidence-based ‘30x30’ target to protect or conserve at least 30% of our planet’s land and ocean areas by 2030.
  1. Commits Parties to eliminate trade and use of wildlife that presents ecological risks or that endangers human or wildlife health through the potential for pathogen spillover. A mention of One Health approaches, previously supported by Parties in CBD CoP Decisions and other fora, is helpful but not sufficient, given the high and increasing risk of emergent pandemics of zoonotic origin linked to the misuse, degradation, or loss of biodiversity.
  1. Incorporate the monitoring framework and glossary to streamline the GBF “package.” To avoid lengthy, redundant, or inconsistent targets, language should be standardized and simplified to the extent possible across Goals and Targets.

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has been working for more than 125 years to save wildlife and wild places, and we have conservation programs on the ground and in the water in more than 60 countries.

We work with our partners in government, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and other stakeholders, and we leverage our experience at the protected area, and landscape/seascape scale, to address regional and global conservation issues. It is this global experience we bring to our recommendations on a post-2020 global biodiversity framework under the CBD.

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