The UNESCO Head of Biodiversity stated that China's experience in biodiversity conservation can offer valuable lessons to the world, especially regarding the combination of ambitious commitments with scientifically sound approaches, effective institutions, and long-term investments.
Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat, made these statements during the 17th meeting of the CBD Conference of the Parties (COP17), which began on Monday in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.
According to Schomaker, China's experience is particularly notable due to the scale of conservation measures and the integration of biodiversity into national development planning. She noted that the system of ecological red lines, the network of national parks, ecological restoration programs, and investments in biodiversity monitoring demonstrate practical methods for fulfilling national obligations.
In her view, three key lessons stand out from China's experience: nature conservation must be integrated into broader economic and land planning; continuous investment is necessary for ecological restoration; and effective monitoring is crucial for assessing achieved results.
China's contribution extends beyond internal efforts. Schomaker emphasized that China's support for multilateral cooperation is vital amid current geopolitical challenges. She specifically highlighted China's role in ensuring the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), one of the most important international agreements on nature in recent decades.
As President of COP15, China facilitated complex negotiations between countries with different priorities and capacities. Working closely with Canada, which hosted the meeting in Montreal, China helped form the consensus necessary for adopting this framework and its 23 targets. Schomaker called this a 'landmark diplomatic achievement,' adding that in four years, the task is to turn this agreement into measurable results, as 'COP15 gave us the plan, and COP17 is about making that plan work.'
Financing is a key element of implementation. China established the Kunming Biodiversity Fund to help developing countries strengthen their capacity in biodiversity conservation. Schomaker described this fund as an important CBD tool created specifically to support the implementation of the KMGBF. She also noted the fund's ability to attract private sector contributions alongside Chinese government funding.
Schomaker considers South-South cooperation particularly valuable, as countries facing similar challenges can exchange experiences, technologies, and knowledge. The first global review of progress in implementing the KMGBF, to be held at COP17, showed encouraging engagement: nearly 90% of parties have set national biodiversity targets, and over 140 countries have submitted national reports. However, less than half of the agreed national targets, assessed by the parties themselves, are currently on track.
The biggest gaps relate to targets requiring changes in economic systems, especially those related to business influence and disclosure, sustainable consumption, harmful subsidies, and biodiversity financing. Significant shortcomings also remain in the coverage of protected areas and efforts to combat invasive alien species. Schomaker stressed that 'the fundamental problem is that biodiversity cannot remain solely the responsibility of environmental ministries.'
Progress increasingly depends on decisions made by ministries of finance, agriculture, energy, and other economic departments. The main difficulty lies in ensuring that developing countries have adequate, predictable, and accessible financial resources to meet their obligations. Developing countries insist on the need for greater international support, while developed countries emphasize mobilizing funds from a wider range of sources and increasing their efficiency. Both positions are recognized as necessary.
Countries agreed to mobilize at least $200 billion annually for biodiversity by 2030. However, the UN Environment Programme estimates that for every dollar invested in nature protection, approximately $30 is directed towards activities that harm it. Schomaker concluded: 'We cannot close the biodiversity financing gap simply by adding more money while continuing to fund biodiversity destruction.' COP17 must achieve progress in fulfilling financial commitments, improving access to finance, strengthening capacity, and reforming harmful subsidies and incentives so that economic decisions support, rather than undermine, nature.
