Question Period Note: UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP15 in Montreal

UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP15 in Montreal

• In December 2022, Canada welcomed the world to Montréal for the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and was critical to delivering nature’s “Paris moment”.
• COP15 engaged not just governments but Indigenous peoples, subnational governments, environmental groups, youth, women and girls, business, industry and civil society.
• The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework commits to halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030, including through conserving 30% of land and oceans.
• Now it’s time to turn the commitments into action. With our provincial, territorial, Indigenous, and other partners, we will develop a comprehensive national biodiversity strategy and action plan to 2030 and continue to demonstrate our global nature leadership.

• The UN Convention on Biological Diversity is the key international instrument addressing global biodiversity issues and pursues three objectives:
• (1) the conservation of biological diversity,
• (2) the sustainable use of the components of biological diversity and,
• (3) the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
• Canada ratified the CBD in 1993 and has hosted the CBD Secretariat in Montreal since 1996.
• The global community adopted a new Global Biodiversity Framework, with ambitious and measurable goals and targets at COP 15 in December 2022 in Montreal. This landmark Framework will guide worldwide efforts on biodiversity conservation and sustainable use until 2030.
• Following adoption of the GBF, Canada is now developing, in collaboration with provinces, territories, Indigenous representatives and other stakeholders, a comprehensive national biodiversity strategy and action plan (NBSAP) to 2030.
• All Parties are expected to develop and submit their updated NBSAPs before COP16 in late 2024.

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