Global meet on biodiversity in city from Oct 8

A global conference that will deliberate on achieving targets for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for the next ten years begins here from October 8. 

 The 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to agree on the next steps in support of implementation of Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 will go on till October 19. The mobilisation of resources for action on the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets will be at top of the agenda for COP 11, Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of Convention on Biological Diversity said. 

At the COP 10, held in Japan, delegates agreed on 20 new targets for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for the next ten years, and developed a vision for 2050. The new targets include increasing the area of protected land across the world to 17 per cent and protected oceans to 10 per cent. Countries also agreed to draw up national biodiversity plans to protect fish stocks from over-fishing, reduce alien invasive species and to halve the rate of loss of natural habitats, including forests. Two years ago, the world set the framework for action to achieve the targets. 

Since then, we have seen significant progress around the world, Dias said. This will be challenging, as it involves short-term costs. However, the environmental social and economic benefits will be realised in the long term. 

COP 11 is expected to review progress so far and to produce decisions that will provide further momentum for implementation of the targets, Dias said. During the meeting, the status of biodiversity in the world's oceans will also be highlighted. 

A report on ecologically or biologically significant marine areas will be presented. A summit of cities and local authorities  Cities for Life, will run in parallel on October 15 and 16. 

Over 160 countries are expected to participate in the meeting. A ministerial segment is planned from October 16 to 19 where Heads of State and Ministers of Environment will engage in discussions related to the key themes of the conference, according to a CBD release. 

PTI