COP15
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World Conservation Summit in Canada is on the home stretch
China’s Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu (M) at the World Nature Summit.
Photo: Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press/AP/dpa
Montreal So far, conservationists are skeptical that the top-level conference will have a satisfactory outcome. But they still hope: “Nothing is lost yet.”
Negotiations at the World Conservation Summit in Canada are entering the domestic phase. Most of the participating states are now represented at the ministerial level at the meeting in Montreal, which is due to run until Monday. Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) traveled from Germany.
In the texts of a possible agreement, several points are still as unresolved. However, the German delegation said: “We are optimistic that the world community will agree to halt and reverse the trend of biodiversity loss in Montreal.”
Organizers, scientists and representatives of non-governmental organizations hope that the summit will result in a global agreement on the conservation of species – similar to the Paris Climate Protection Agreement. One of the main goals is to protect at least 30 percent of the world’s land and sea areas by 2030. However, there are doubts whether such an agreement would be successful – mainly because of differences in financing. A group of developing and emerging countries led by Brazil withdrew from the talks several times in protest.
