DSWF and the Convention on Biological Diversity: Update

Last week, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) engaged in two informal sessions under the Convention on Biological Diversity. In these meetings, DSWF highlighted that we are in the “midst of a major biodiversity crisis and an era of pandemics” which both stem from our unsustainable relationship with nature.

What is the CBD?

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international agreement signed by 196 countries with three main goals:

• The conservation of biological diversity
• The sustainable use of its components
• The fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources

To find out more, click here.

What are DSWF doing in the CBD?

Following a decision by the Conference of the Parties (the governing body of the convention) in 2018, the CBD set out a process for developing a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The purpose of this framework was to “set out an ambitious plan to implement broad-based action to bring about a transformation in society’s relationship with biodiversity” between 2020 and 2030. [1]

In August 2020, the CBD released an updated draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework [2] known as the draft zero. Within this draft are a set of goals and targets to guide the international community toward achieving the mandate of the CBD which will be adopted at the next Conference of the Parties (CoP). Although DSWF welcomes the development of the zero draft, we believe there is an urgent need to increase its ambition to reflect our current biodiversity crisis alongside preventing future pandemics.

To address these threats, DSWF submitted a formal intervention noting that the new targets must reflect enhanced ambition:

• The goals and targets must ensure that we end human-induced species extinction and ensure the recovery of those species that are threatened.
• Target 4 (related to the sustainable, legal, and sage trade on biodiversity) must be based on the precautionary principle and ensure that we eliminate non-essential commercial exploitation of wildlife as rapidly as possible, taking account for the need for just transitions, and ensuring any remaining wildlife exploitation is legal, sustainable, and effectively regulated in order to provide benefits such as nutrition and livelihoods to people.
• The new targets must ensure that we fully and highly protect natural ecosystems – including land, inland waters, and oceans –and improve the integrity and increase the connectivity of protected areas while assuring Indigenous Peoples’ needs and uses and recognizing their long history of conservation and incorporating community conserved areas.
• Our ambitions must be matched with adequate financial resources to address the severe threats we face, including ensuring that all subsidies align with the new Framework.

For the full intervention, please click here.

[1] https://www.cbd.int/article/zero-draft-update-august-2020
[2] https://www.cbd.int/doc/c/3064/749a/0f65ac7f9def86707f4eaefa/post2020-prep-02-01-en.pdf