Countries have reached a landmark agreement at a marathon United Nations biodiversity summit to protect the world’s land and oceans and provide critical financing to save biodiversity in the developing world despite objections from some African countries.
The chair of the COP15 nature summit, Chinese Environment Minister Huang Runqiu, declared the deal adopted at a plenary session in Montreal and struck his gavel, sparking loud applause from assembled delegates.
The most significant part of the deal is a commitment to protect 30 percent of land and water considered important for biodiversity by 2030. Currently, 17 percent of terrestrial and 10 percent of marine areas are protected.
A representative from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) earlier objected to the text, raising concerns about developed nations’ responsibility for funding conservation in developing countries and the parties which are developed nations should provide resources to parties which are developing. Aljaazera
