COP15 approves Kunming Declaration to strengthen biodiversity protection

Beijing, Oct 13 (EFE).- The UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) on Wednesday approved the Kunming Declaration in which the participating countries committed to a number of mechanisms to strengthen biodiversity protection.

The commitments, adopted in the southern Chinese city of Kunming, included strengthening national environmental laws and their enforcement to protect biodiversity, as well as reforming or eliminating subsidies and other incentives that are harmful to biodiversity.

It also stressed on more actions to reduce the negative effects of human activities on the ocean, and the implementation of an ecosystem-friendly strategy to address biodiversity loss.

The document also focused on restoring degraded ecosystems as long as these methods do not contravene priority actions to urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

One of the main objectives is to have adequate mechanisms to monitor, report and review to reverse the current loss of biodiversity.

According to the declaration, these efforts are aimed to “ensure that biodiversity is put on a path to recovery by 2030 at the latest.”

In a special mention to post-pandemic recovery, the signatories committed to framing policies that contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

The virtual summit, which will conclude Friday, is only the first part of the 15th Conference of the Parties on biodiversity, while the second part is scheduled to take place with people attending in person in the same city between Apr.25 and May 8 next year. EFE

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