Editor's note: Robert B. Weisenmiller is a research affiliate at the California-China Climate Institute, University of California, Berkeley and a former chair of the California Energy Commission. Jessica Gordon is a senior climate policy fellow at the California-China Climate Institute. The article reflects the authors' opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Just as the world is still digesting the implications and controversies of the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, conversations about "COP15" have begun. The second part of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is undergoing in Montreal, Canada, the seat of the UN CBD Secretariat, on December 7-19. 

UN CBD is a multilateral treaty. The Convention has three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity); the sustainable use of its components; and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources. Its objective is sustainable development. Biodiversity is the breadth and variety of life and ecosystems on earth, which is declining at an alarming rate. Biodiversity protection is essential for a livable planet, clean water, air, human and ecological health and well-being.

UN Environment Program's (UNEP) Making Peace with Nature report shows that humans now impact three-quarters of the land and two-thirds of the oceans. One million of the world's estimated eight million species of plants and animals are threatened with extinction, and many of the ecosystem services essential for human well-being are eroding. The World Economic Forum estimates that over half of the global gross domestic product depends upon the natural world.

At this week's meeting, the world is coming together to work toward a new agreement on a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to raise ambition on this important issue. According to the UNEP, there are clear goals for the meeting:

"Adoption of an equitable and comprehensive framework matched by the resources needed for implementation;

Clear targets to address overexploitation, pollution, fragmentation and unsustainable agricultural practices;

A plan that safeguards the rights of indigenous peoples and recognizes their contributions as stewards of nature;

Finance for biodiversity and alignment of financial flows with nature to drive finances toward sustainable investments and away from environmentally harmful ones."

Much advocacy has been focused toward creating measurable, science-based, time-bound targets in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to build accountability and transparency. The current draft includes four goals for 2050 and 22 for 2030 but that is likely to change over the course of the negotiations. One potential target is preserving 30 percent of land and water by 2030. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an Executive Order committing the state to such a goal in 2020 and last year released a detailed strategy to achieve this goal. The Joe Biden administration committed the U.S. to such a goal last year. China has also designated 25 percent of its land area for conservation. 

As with COP27 on climate, financing will be a big sticking point for the Global South. Countries are asking for $100 billion a year until 2030. Last October, President Xi Jinping announced that China would establish the 1.5 billion yuan (about $230 million) Kunming Biodiversity Fund to help implement a new framework for protecting nature this decade. He also called on other countries to contribute to the fund.

Indeed, the goals of COP27 and COP15 are inter-related as securing biodiversity is essential for achieving our climate goals and climate change is leading to the loss of habitats and species. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, around 80 percent of the world's documented species can be found in tropical rainforests, which are therefore key to addressing climate change.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change finds that protecting, restoring and sustainably managing carbon-rich ecosystems such as forests and peatlands can mitigate 20-30 percent of global mitigation needed for 1.5 or two degrees Celsius pathways. Halting the conversion of ecosystems can play an outsized role, as deforestation alone accounts for 45 percent of emissions from the land sector. Deforestation is also caused by increasingly intense climate fueled wildfires as climate is also a driver of habitat loss leading to vicious interactive cycles. This is why nature-based climate solutions are such an important part of achieving climate and biodiversity goals.

While it will be very challenging to achieve a comprehensive and effective multinational treaty to protect biodiversity, it is critical for all mankind. As the planet is facing two intertwined crises, biodiversity and climate, the goals of COP15 and COP27 are complementary. We must face our challenges collectively and secure a new global agreement to protect the future of our shared planet.

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