COP15 aims for ambitious, practical biodiversity targets

The post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework is expected to be formulated and adopted during the upcoming UN meeting on biological diversity, known as COP15, in Montreal, Canada.

"Currently, the structure and core content of the post-2020 GBF has been basically agreed upon," said Huang Runqiu, COP15 president and China's minister of ecology and environment.

Huang admitted that there were different requirements, even big differences, on some specific issues. For instance, how the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity should be represented in a comprehensive and balanced manner.

The objectives are: the conservation of biological diversity; the sustainable use of its components; the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.

Funding is also an important and difficult part of the framework negotiations, according to Huang.

To set "ambitious, practical and balanced" targets, China has actively exercised leadership and coordination as COP15 presidency.

"All parties recognized the great efforts made by China in the COP15 presidency in coordinating the positions of all parties," Huang added.