Convention on Biological Diversity - evolution and goals

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United Nations - sustainability.


Author: Charitarth Sindhu', Environmental Sustainability & ESG Consultant.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a legally binding agreement signed by 196 countries, overseen by a Conference of the Parties (COP) acting as the governing body.

Initiated by the United Nations (UN), this treaty was made available for signatures in 1992 and has been endorsed by all UN members except for the United States and the Vatican.


Convention goals

The Convention on Biological Diversity's primary objective is the preservation of global biological diversity.


The Convention aims to achieve three main goals:


1. Preservation of biological diversity.


2. Sustainable utilization of biodiversity components.


3. Equitable sharing of benefits derived from genetic resources.


These objectives are to be realised through national strategies devised for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.


Participating governments are encouraged by the Convention to:

  • Recognize the inherent value of biodiversity.
  • Affirm that biodiversity conservation is a shared concern.
  • Undertake responsibility for conserving and sustainably utilizing biodiversity within their territories.
  • Acknowledge biological resources as the sovereign rights of the state.
  • Employ a precautionary approach to biodiversity conservation.
  • Acknowledge the crucial role of local communities and women.
  • Facilitate access to technologies for developing nations and explore avenues for additional financial resources to combat biodiversity loss.


The Conference of the Parties (COP)

The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity serves as the Convention's governing body. It advances the implementation of the Convention through decisions made at its periodic meetings.


This is distinct from the annual Conference of Parties held under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) framework.


History of the Convention on Biological Diversity - landmarks

COP1 (Bahamas, 1992): Entrusted the Conference of Parties with the responsibility of implementing the Convention's provisions and reviewing matters related to biodiversity conservation, sustainable use, and equitable benefit-sharing.


COP6 (Netherlands, 2002): Implemented the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation and associated programs under the Convention on Biological Diversity, covering agricultural and natural biodiversity.


COP8 (Brazil, 2006): Successfully integrated the status of national biodiversity strategies, action plans, and their execution in alignment with the Convention on Biological Diversity.


COP10 (Japan, 2010): Published 'The Global Biodiversity Outlook' which recommended urgent actions to address the key drivers of biodiversity loss and enhance ecosystem resilience, in line with the Convention's objectives.


COP15 (Canada, 2022): Parties worldwide convened to agree on new goals guiding global action through 2030 aimed at halting and reversing nature loss.


These goals encompassed:

  • Adoption of an equitable and comprehensive framework along with necessary resources for implementation.
  • Establishment of clear targets addressing overexploitation, pollution, fragmentation, and unsustainable agricultural practices.
  • Formulation of a plan that respects the rights of indigenous peoples and acknowledges their role as nature stewards.
  • Allocation of finance for biodiversity and alignment of financial flows with nature conservation, redirecting investments towards sustainability and away from environmentally harmful activities.


See also

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