Biodiversity: How is biodiversity doing? World Nature Conference begins

It is currently half time for important goals to protect biodiversity. An interim report shows: things are running too slowly. In Armenia it is now a question of how the states can still achieve their goals.

The focus of the UN conference on biological diversity is an interim assessment of the status of the goals we have set ourselves for the protection of biodiversity. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan gives a speech a few days before the conference begins.

Yerevan. The 17th UN Conference on Biological Diversity (COP17) has begun in the Armenian capital Yerevan. The almost 200 contracting states want to meet there for two weeks until October 30th. The focus is on taking stock.

Four years ago, countries committed to 23 goals that they want to achieve by 2030. A key point is to protect at least 30 percent of the world's land and sea areas. At halftime it's time to take stock. A report published in advance of the conference shows that there is a problem in implementing the agreed goals. It's too slow and not enough. Environmentalists also complain about this. A sticking point is financing.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres spoke before the conference of a “gap between ambition and action” and that “the war against nature is not yet over.”

Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider leads the German delegation at the conference and will travel to Yerevan in the second week. He spoke of a mixed picture and also saw progress. “We’re just nowhere near where we need to be,” he said. The conference must therefore further increase awareness of the importance of global nature and species protection.