What are the 23 targets of the Kunming Montreal Biodiversity Framework?

 By Malini Shankar

Digital Discourse Foundation

Cali, Colombia, 21.10.24

In 2022 the Kunming Montreal Biodiversity Framework was dawn up and signed by 196 countries with the express intention of expediting the achievement of Biodiversity Targets. This includes what is referred to as 23 targets. These are:

For India the 23 targets are listed below:

1.       All areas are planned or managed to bring loss of areas of high biodiversity importance close to zero.

2.       30% of degraded areas are under effective restoration.

3.       30% of areas are effectively conserved.

4.       Threatened species are recovering, genetic diversity is being maintained and human-wildlife conflict is being managed.

5.       Use, harvesting and trade of wild species is sustainable, safe and legal.

6.       Reduce rates of introduction and establishment of invasive alien species by 50%.

7.       Pollution reduced, halving nutrient loss and pesticide risk.

8.       Minimize impacts of climate change and ocean acidification including through nature-based solutions and/or ecosystem-based approaches.

9.       Management of wild species is sustainable and benefits people.

10.   Areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry are managed sustainably.

11.   Nature’s contributions to people are restored, maintained and enhanced.

12.   Urban green and blue spaces enhanced for human well-being.

13.   Fair and equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources, digital sequence information and associated traditional knowledge.

14.   The multiple values of biodiversity are integrated into decision-making at all levels.

15.   Businesses assess and disclose biodiversity dependencies, impacts and risks, and reduce negative impacts.

16.   Sustainable consumption choices are enabled, and food waste reduced by half.

17.   Strengthen biosafety and distribute benefits of biotechnology.

18.   Reduce harmful incentives by at least $500 billion per year.

19.   Financial resources increased to $200 billion per year, including $ 30 billion through international finance.

20.   Capacity-building and development, technology transfer, and technical and scientific cooperation for implementation is strengthened.

21.   Data, information and knowledge for decision-making is available.

22.   Ensure participation, justice, and rights for indigenous peoples and local communities, women, youth persons with disabilities and environmental defenders.

23.   Implementation follows a gender-responsive approach.

Of these “23 ambitious targets”, India has achieved only three. Political will is absent for green causes all around the world. Bureaucrats are not capable of changing mind-sets and the deadline of 2030 is fast approaching. This Utopian agenda is not likely to be achieved in millennia to come, pardon the cynicism…

Populism is one thing, political statesmanship quite another. Achieving these targets is not as easy as picking flowers. Combatting desertification is taking decades to achieve minimal targets in India in just one district of India. It has been well-nigh impossible to strike a balance between economic development and environmental conservation, Sustainability is indeed a far cry then.

Sustainability starts where needs have been satisfactorily met, and livelihood and food security have been secured. The trouble is if Humanity does not heed the clarion call for environmental Sustainability as envisaged in the KMGBF, it is Humanity which stands to lose the most:  Desertification and Climate Change will destroy all that Mankind created… to the peril of other creatures too that call this Planet Home. At stake is food security for millions of people.