COP15 stalling over disagreements on who should pay

Discussions at biodiversity summit COP15 are reportedly stalling, as delegates disagree on which countries should finance biodiversity efforts.  

Negotiators from nearly 200 countries have come to Montreal in Canada to develop an international framework for protecting nature and reversing biodiversity loss.  

But conversations have stalled as developed and developing nations disagree on where funding for these initiatives will come from, much like divisions over loss and damage funding at COP27. Nations from the global south staged a walk-out from late-night talks on Wednesday due to this.  

‘Currently, there’s simply a lack of political will compared to what’s needed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030,’ said Florian Titze, an adviser on international biodiversity policy at WWF Germany, during a news conference. ‘Nothing is lost yet. We still look hopeful towards the next week, when ministers are here.’ 

‘But the ministers really need to show up, and they really must step up and show us that they’re willing to not only ask for ambitious targets, but also take action on them – and that includes paying the bill,’ he added.  

Funding is currently targeted at regions rich in biodiversity, including China, Brazil, India, Mexico and Indonesia, who are expected to be favoured in the next funding cycle from 2022 to 2026.  

But many other nations across Africa, Asia and Latina America are also calling for money to support their conservation efforts.  

Key issues on the table at COP15 include the aim to protect 30% of the earth’s land and sea by 2030, the elimination of government subsidies to firms which damage the environment and the restoration of degraded land.   

Currently, the world is far from achieving its target of 30% of protected land and seas by 2030, with Wildlife Trusts finding just 3% of land and 8% of sea has been protected so far.   

The proposal has caused concerns among Indigenous people who fear they could be removed from protected land despite them protecting biodiversity.  

Photo by Hendrik Cornelissen