What happened
Talks at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, remain at an impasse following a difficult first week. Delegates from almost 200 countries have not resolved major differences, notably over how to address the large funding shortfall for global biodiversity commitments.
The immediate significance is that negotiations are entering a tighter phase while the underlying 2030 agenda is already off course. Ministers have joined the process to help move discussions forward. For organisations following nature policy, the next step is to monitor whether the final decisions establish clearer direction on finance, implementation and reform of environmentally harmful public support.
COP17 is intended to strengthen implementation of the global commitment to stop and reverse nature loss by 2030. Its objectives include conserving 30% of land and ocean areas, alongside cutting government expenditure that harms ecosystems. According to the reporting, most of these objectives are not progressing as planned.
COP17 President Hambardzum Matevosyan said he was working to narrow the gaps between parties. He also pointed to early advances, including nature commitments valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars and initial decisions adopted during the meeting. Anna Ducros of the International Institute for Environment and Development said governments were making progress outside the formal negotiating rooms despite sluggish talks.
Why it matters
The dispute over funding centres on which countries should pay into global biodiversity finance. European countries are pressing comparatively wealthy developing economies, including China, to contribute. Resolving that question is central to the ability of parties to implement their nature commitments.
Public incentives are another difficult issue. Governments still spend roughly US$2.4 trillion annually supporting sectors including fossil fuels, while efforts to reduce that support have made limited headway. On Monday, a coalition that included France, Colombia and Fiji committed to broad reform of incentives that damage nature.
The negotiations are taking place amid strained public finances, cuts to aid budgets, wars and economic pressures competing for political attention. Those constraints increase the challenge of securing a robust outcome before the conference ends.
What to watch
Attention will focus on whether ministers can break the deadlock on biodiversity finance and translate political commitments into agreed decisions. The outcome will also show whether parties can advance action on harmful subsidies and regain momentum towards the 2030 nature goals.
Source: İklim Haber.
