Represented by Amy Fraenkel, the Executive Secretary, the CMS Secretariat is present in Montreal, during the negotiations, working groups and side events of the UN Biodiversity COP15. 

CMS Recommendations on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)

The CMS Secretariat has shared a set of recommendations for possible text changes with respect to reflecting CMS priorities in both versions of the draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), resulting from the fourth meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group on the GBF (WG2020-4, Nairobi, June 2022) and the Informal Group consultations (Montreal, September 2022). 

These recommendations are provided to support upcoming negotiations to be held at the WG2020-5, which is expected to advance significantly the development of the GBF for consideration and adoption by the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15, 7-19 December 2022). 

CMS focal points and stakeholders are encouraged to consider these recommendations and to liaise with CBD focal points and others who will attend the Montreal meetings to ensure that CMS priorities are reflected in the GBF.

Additional recommendations on operational aspects of the GBF that will be taken up only at COP15, as well as on other COP15 agenda items of interest to CMS, may be provided at a later stage.

Read Related Notification

CMS priorities for goals & targets

Five key priorities for the GBF were agreed by CMS COP13:

1. Ecological connectivity to be reflected effectively in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
   • Ecological connectivity is a fundamental requirement for functioning ecosystems and for migratory species. To be effective, spatial planning should include connectivity as a key criterion for determining which areas to establish as protected areas, and/or as areas of priority for restoration. But ecological connectivity goes beyond the bounds of protected areas and single-site protection, and spatial planning should consider measures to ensure functional connectivity involving networks of sites that have some level of protection. Sites relevant for migratory species may include multiple-use areas along migratory routes within built or transformed landscapes, as well as less modified areas.
   • The 2019 IPBES Global Assessment found that connectivity had not been adequately addressed by governments under the framework of the Aichi Targets. Thus, it is vital that the GBF accurately and effectively addresses ecological connectivity.
2. Effectively address the conservation needs of threatened species and species with an unfavourable conservation status, including goals and targets to halt species declines.
   • Extinction of species and collapsing abundance and distribution of populations are worsening. The Global Framework needs to go beyond objectives that simply define types of response activity, and define recovery outcomes in terms of (for example) abated pressures, halted extinctions and sustainable population levels.
   • The GBF needs to state clearly, in all relevant targets, that any use of wild species must be legal and sustainable.
3. Provisions encouraging Parties to include in their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) appropriate reference to other biodiversity-related conventions to which they are also Parties, ensuring effective liaison between the respective national focal points so as to reflect the priorities and align the efforts made under the various agreements.
   • One of the most effective means to ensure better coordination of implementation efforts under the various MEAs is to reflect them, as relevant for each country, in NBSAPs. This has been called for in numerous COP decisions of CBD, CMS and other MEAs.
4. Recognition of the role of the various biodiversity-related Conventions as well as other relevant MEAs, for effective implementation, monitoring, and review of the post2020 global biodiversity framework.
   • Coordinated delivery of the GBF will be most effectively ensured if it explicitly recognizes the contribution that relevant MEAs will make.
5. Promote transboundary and international cooperation for the implementation of the new Global Biodiversity Framework.
   • While implementation of the GBF is principally a matter for each CBD Party, aspects of the GBF will only be achievable if there is international cooperation (e.g., transboundary, regional and global) to implement them. The Aichi Targets omitted this key point, and it is important that it is reflected clearly in the GBF. This would also facilitate the provision of funding for transboundary, regional and globally-shared conservation priorities.

Current status of CMS priorities in the GBF and the way forward

Both versions of the GBF text reflect a number of the CMS priorities listed above. For instance, ecological connectivity is included in numerous elements of the GBF (i.e. Goal A and Targets 1, 3 and 12) concerning spatial and urban planning and development of protected and other conserved areas. It is bracketed in the Target 2 (restoration) version resulting from the WG2020-4 while it is absent in the Target 2 version of the Informal Group. The wording of other elements of the GBF continues to require further attention. First, greater ambition is needed for addressing extinction and overexploitation of species in Targets 4 and 5 respectively. Second, of major concern for CMS is that the text regarding taking of species in Targets 5 and 9 must be absolutely clear that any taking of wild species must be sustainable and legal; currently, the text of these two targets is not consistent or clear on this fundamental point. Third, while light and noise are suggested for inclusion as sources of pollution harmful to biodiversity and ecosystems in the text of Target 7, other contaminants which are highly detrimental to wildlife and human health should be included, such as lead.

Read the specific text recommendations

CMS at COP15 Side Events

The following table shows the list of side events where the CMS Secretariat is co-host or panelist.