Biodiversity takes centre stage

We are all aware of the challenge presented by climate change and there has been huge media attention regarding this year's COP26 UN climate change talks, but COP15 - the Convension for Biological Diversity is equally as important.

International The fifteeth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) is being held in two parts. The first part, which started today, is being held virtually and will include the opening of the Meetings and will address agenda items that have been identified as essential for the continuation of the operations of the Convention and Protocols by the Bureau. The second part of COP15 will be face-to-face meetings held in the Southern Chinese city of Kunming from the 25th April to the 8th May 2022.

So far, efforts to protect the natural world have yet to acheive the limelight as those to limit climate change, but COP15 aims to raise the profile and establish a world-wide plan to protect nature and species during the next decade.

The draft issue of the Global Biodiversity Framework aims to conserve at least 30% of the world's land and oceans, and will push to eliminate waste and cut pesticide use by at least two thirds.