Editor's note: "Shared by Nature" invites experts and scholars from around the world to share their knowledge of major issues in nature, such as climate change, biodiversity conservation and environmental protection. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema is the executive secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. She shared her expectations for the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. 

The second part of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) is taking place in Montreal, Canada, between December 7 and 19. It follows the first phase held last year in Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with the continued theme of "Ecological Civilization: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth."

Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, executive secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, spoke to CGTN about her expectations for the COP15. She also shared her views on China's biodiversity conservation efforts, as well as the lessons learned from the previous "Aichi Biodiversity Targets" to better advance the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework negotiations and provide support for developing countries in biodiversity conservation.

The adoption of a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework tops the agenda, which will form the basis of transformation of humans' relationship with nature. And the ultimate goal is to reverse nature loss, biodiversity loss and halt that by 2030, and regenerate biodiversity to ensure the sustainable use to 2050.

As the president of the COP15, China has spared no effort in playing a leadership and coordinating role during the negotiations.

"China has been displaying its commitment to this theme as well as leadership on biological conservation," said Mrema. In particular, she points to the establishment of protected area systems with national parks being the main components, and the high protected area coverage, which exceeds the target set by the 2011-2020 "Aichi Biodiversity Targets," which was 17 percent.

"We'll all be looking forward because we know during the conference of the parties here, China will have a whole China pavilion to demonstrate some of these best practices, these achievements where the rest of the world can learn and adopt and use," she added.

When it comes to the goals that were not fully achieved in the "Aichi Biodiversity Targets" (2011-2020), adopted at COP10, she shared some of the lessons learned so the new framework could move forward better. For example, national targets were inconsistent with the global targets, implementation time was insufficient, and the key stakeholders of the framework were not all involved in the negotiations.

"This time, the framework will be accompanied with the means of implementation, which means it will be accompanied with a whole separate global action plan for capacity building, technology transfer, gender plan of action. Also, financial resource mobilization strategy will be part of the package," said Mrema.

For developing countries, she said, financial support is not enough. Developing countries need support in energy transition, technology and scientific cooperation.

(Cover image designed by CGTN's Yu Peng; Video edited by CGTN's Gao Yuxin)

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