Scientists urge that a clear, unambiguous goal for preventing human-induced species extinctions and stabilising populations must be front and centre in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
Next year, governments of the world will come together to adopt the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework under the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Much like the Paris Agreement, with its clear statement on limiting carbon emissions, this framework will establish a set of goals and targets for conserving the diversity of life on Earth.
However, scientists comprising a team of international collaborators from Newcastle University, UK, University of Queensland, Australia (UQ), BirdLife International, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and RSPB (among others) warn that early drafts of this framework do not go far enough to trigger the actions needed to address the alarming decline of species around the world.
Publishing their findings in the journal Conservation Letters, the scientists argue that the way the draft goal for conserving species has been worded, it could be achieved by allowing some species to go extinct.
UQ PhD student Brooke Williams, who led this study examining the key elements of a goal for conserving species post-2020, said that a robust goal for species requires several key ingredients.
She said: “We propose a revised wording for a species-focused goal in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework that is ambitious, unambiguous, can be readily communicated, and comprises quantifiable elements against which nations can easily measure their progress.”
Crucially, the goal we propose in our new study strips away the potential for perverse outcomes, like species being allowed to go extinct or become more threatened. In early drafts, both of these outcomes could eventuate, and be entirely consistent with the goal for species being achieved – clearly, this is an unsatisfactory response to the global biodiversity crisis.”
Read the paper: Williams BA, Watson JE, Butchart SHM, Ward M, Brooks TM, Butt N, Bolam FC, Stuart SN, Mair L, McGowan PJK, Gregory R, Hilton-Taylor C, Mallon D, Harrison I, Simmonds JS. 2020. A robust goal is needed for species in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Conservation Letters. e12778. https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12778
More on:
Posted On: 11/12/2020