COP 15

“By 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people.”

UN 2050 Vision for the Convention on Biological Diversity

What is COP15?

COP15 is a global nature summit, happening this December in Montreal, Canada.

Its full title is the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, which is a global agreement on nature conservation. 

At COP15, a new set of global targets aiming to halt biodiversity loss will be set for 2020-2030. Globally, we failed to meet any of the last set of targets. COP15 is our last chance to reverse the decline of nature, before it is too late. It's essential that the new set of targets is more than just words on a page - they must lead to transformative action in policy and on the ground from all governments across the world.

COP15 was supposed to take place in 2020 but has been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. China holds the presidency for the negotiations, but due to Covid restrictions in China the conference is taking place in Montreal.

Are The Wildlife Trusts attending?

Yes - Craig Bennett (Chief Executive) and Kathryn Brown (Director for Climate Action) are attending COP15 in Montreal to represent The Wildlife Trusts movement, and will be meeting with decision makers and partners from the UK and across the world. We'll share their video updates here (scroll down).

We're also working with other environmental charities and organisations to raise awareness of COP15 in Parliament and ensure the UK delegation is pushing for ambitious outcomes.

What do we want to see from COP15?

The Wildlife Trusts want to see bold action to tackle the twin nature and climate crises. We need a nature positive decade so that by 2030 nature is on a path to recovery, with 30% of land and sea protected for nature. We need nature to be more abundant than it is now, so it can help us mitigate and adapt to changing global temperatures. 

We want to see the following included in the COP15 agreement:

  • COP15 must agree a landmark legally-binding global treaty to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2030
  • If the UK wants to be a world leader on climate and nature, it must ensure it is taking the same action at home it is encouraging others to take internationally
  • The UK must provide effective financial and practical support to global majority countries and indigenous communities

    COP15 is about climate too

    Tackling the climate crisis must be central to the negotiations at COP15 – otherwise we will not effectively make progress on the climate or nature crisis. Though COP15 is not explicitly a climate conference, it would be short-sighted if nature’s ability to mitigate and adapt to climate change was not recognised in the discussions.

    The Wildlife Trusts want to see integration between the agreements made at COP27 in November and the decisions that will be made regarding nature in Montreal this December.

    COP15 update: December 7th

    COP15 update: December 9th

    COP15 update: December 12th

    COP15 update: December 14th

    COP15 update: December 16th

    COP15 update: December 19th

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