Need to re-sensitise the financial powers that be before COP 16 concludes

 

By Malini Shankar

Digital Discourse Foundation

Fruit tree plantation has manifold benefits Picture Credit: Accion Fraterna Ecology Centre, Anantapur

The 16^th Conference of Parties of the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity at Cali in Colombia remained inconclusive almost wholly because fiscal commitments did not crystalise.  The need for fiscal commitments is mandatory given the colossal gaps in meeting the Targets.

“COP 16.2 will focus on several critical areas:

 Securing $200 billion annually by 2030 from all sources for biodiversity initiatives and reducing harmful incentives by at least $500 billion per year by 2030, through the adoption of the new Resource Mobilization Strategy. 

• Establishing systems to monitor and assess progress toward biodiversity targets, ensuring transparency and accountability.
• The Planning, Monitoring, Reporting, and Review (PMRR) Mechanism is a critical component for ensuring accountability and progress in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). Decisions during the resumed sessions will shape how progress toward KMGBF implementation will be assessed at COP 17.
• The Financial Mechanism under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) is essential for mobilizing resources to implement the framework effectively, especially in developing countries. Discussions on the financial mechanism during the resumed sessions will focus on the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which serves as the financial mechanism for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the newly established Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF)” says an official release from the Secretariat of the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity.

 

Financial commitments is in the range of US $ 200 billion per year that is needed by UNCBD. Let’s take a look at what this $ 200 billion per year is needed for.

Much was made of putting People before the Planet. But, to conserve biodiversity means tree feeling has to be sustainably managed. If poor people need firewood then sustainable alternatives need to be expeditiously provided. Otherwise biodiversity loss will be sustained instead of sustainably developing humankind! We don’t want that!

Mitigating biodiversity loss is not just an administrative initiative of notifying more Protected Areas: Like Tiger Reserves, Conservation Areas National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries or Reserved Forests. It means, if an urban property developer fells X amount of trees to construct a concrete jungle / heat island  the property / land owner as well as the developer is bound to replant X (2) the amount of trees felled. This extra tree growth will replenish oxygen and ground water reserves, will not only provide habitat for avian and urban fauna, and insects and reptiles, but will sequester and act as a carbon sink, increase moisture content in the soil and acts as a perfect catchment area for monsoons and absorb the power of urban floods. These are critical factors in Climate Change mitigation and adaptation.

Urban floods is a direct consequence of lack of planning land use and disrespect to urban greenery. That has expedited Climate Change to our detriment.

Stymieing biodiversity loss asks for each Indian to plant 1% of trees of the country’s population which is as of 14^th December 1456811025. That means every Indian must plant atleast 1,40,000,000 fruit trees per year for 10 years. Thereafter every Indian must plant 1,40,000,000 bamboo saplings per year; thereafter for the next decade every Indian must plant 1,40,000,000 Ficus trees per year and so on.

Apart from this there is a need for:

1.       Agroforestry,

W    Watershed management,

2.       Soil conservation,

3.       Installation of renewable energy supply on a per capita basis,

4.       Cleansing oceans,

5.       Wetland management,

6.       Conservation of endangered fauna and flora,

7.       Replenishment of ground water table and

8.       Securing water security for future generations;

9.       Securing food and livelihood security for an unknown future population density;

A  Agroforestry plantations hold manifold benefits like soil fertility, ground water replenishment,    malnutrition mitigation, rural livelihood security and so on... 

10.   Reversing the Industrial Revolution to sustainable levels by reducing emissions; and only thereafter

11.   Re-green the planet…

All of which needs scientific approach and sustainable development. Planning is the key.  Policy guidelines and legislative support cannot be compromised upon. It then becomes the Media’s responsibility to re-sensitise the Private Sector and render a whole new meaning to corporate social responsibility.

Therein lies the crux of the issue at Concluding Sessions in Rome in February 2025.