UN biodiversity summit ends with calls for reform as targets slip
Countries conclude Cop17 negotiations in Armenia amid criticism that the UN process allows obstruction and has never achieved its goals.
At a glance
- Cop17 concluded Saturday after two weeks of negotiations in Yerevan, Armenia
- Countries have never met a target in the 34-year history of the biodiversity convention
- This decade's targets include protecting 30% of the planet and restoring degraded ecosystems
- Critics say the UN summit system allows obstruction and requires major reforms
The UN biodiversity summit Cop17 concluded in Yerevan, Armenia on Saturday with countries pledging to intensify efforts to meet this decade's nature protection targets. Critics say the summit system enables obstruction and that governments are unlikely to achieve their commitments, continuing a 34-year pattern of failing to meet targets.
This decade's goals include protecting 30 per cent of the planet for nature, restoring nearly a third of degraded ecosystems and reforming $500 billion in environmentally damaging subsidies. Observers are calling for significant reforms to the UN biodiversity negotiation process.
Why it matters
Repeated failure to meet biodiversity targets has consequences for global ecosystem health and the ability to address environmental degradation.
Original reporting
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