The World Unites for Nature: The Nature Conservancy Applauds Efforts to Protect Global Biodiversity at UN Talks in Rome
Successful conclusion to extended UN Biodiversity Conference in Rome results in adoption of crucial measures for safeguarding & restoring biodiversity
At the concluding session of UN Biodiversity Conference CBD-COP16 in Rome, Italy, representatives from 153 countries successfully adopted fundamental decisions on financing, reporting and measuring progress against the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)—a landmark agreement on steps needed to halt and reverse global biodiversity loss by 2030.
The Rome meeting represented an emergency follow-up to last year’s CBD-COP16 meeting in Cali, Colombia—where, despite important progress on key areas, negotiators ran out of time to achieve overall consensus.
“At a complicated geopolitical moment, this is an exciting show of progress and international cooperation for nature,” said Linda Krueger, director of Biodiversity & Infrastructure Policy at The Nature Conservancy. “Countries would not let this agreement falter. Through intense deliberations, Parties were determined to make sure implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework can proceed without further delay.
“Thanks to their efforts—and the redoubled commitment of host government Colombia—for the first time there is now a path to address crucial resource needs in a comprehensive and long-term fashion under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Equally important, this agreement includes guidance on monitoring and reporting processes—including an updated set of indicators—that the global community will use to measure progress. Technocratic as they might sound, these are the details that will transform ambitions on paper into tangible conservation action on the ground.
“That multilateralism can still work, even on the thorny questions of biodiversity finance, is a great signal. It reflects the growing awareness that biodiversity—and the healthy ecosystems they support—are central to our economies, well-being, health and security.
"Rome has not only set the stage for nature’s sustained recovery but can also serve as the catalyst for momentum to ratify the High Seas Treaty this year and emphasize the vital need for integrating climate and biodiversity strategies at COP30 in Belem. We can’t afford to fail.”
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 81 countries and territories (40 by direct conservation impact and 41 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit nature.org or follow @nature_press on X.