Countries fall behind on biodiversity goals despite upcoming UN conference
Nearly two years after committing to protect 30% of the planet’s land and oceans by 2030, most nations have made little progress, raising concerns ahead of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference next week.
Michael Casey and Christina Larson report for The Associated Press.
In short:
- Only 46% of countries have submitted biodiversity goals, and less than 15% have provided plans to meet them.
- Developing countries are waiting for $20 billion in funding, with only 77% of the goal secured so far.
- Conservation groups worry about vague targets, especially around species extinction and biodiversity funding.
Key quote:
“There are some countries who can easily afford to update (their plans). There’s no reason why they didn’t do it ... and there are countries that didn’t get the support they needed.”
— Bernadette Fischler Hooper, head of global advocacy for WWF International.
Why this matters:
Without sufficient progress, global biodiversity loss threatens ecosystems essential to human survival, like water and food sources. The lack of funding and specific plans risks undermining urgent environmental goals.
Read more: Silence of the natural world signals a biodiversity crisis
