The Kunming Declaration was adopted on October 14 at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. A main achievement of this conference, the declaration commits to ensuring the formulation, adoption and implementation of an effective post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to reverse the current loss of biodiversity and ensure that biodiversity is on the path to recovery by 2030, so as to fully meet the 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature.
“The declaration reflects the political will of all state parties and has sent a strong message to the international community about the determination and consensus in the field of biodiversity,” said Fernando Lugris, Uruguayan Ambassador to China, in an interview with China Today, after the minister-level plenary meeting of the COP15.
Fernando Lugris, Uruguayan Ambassador to China
He pointed out that the COP 15 is a momentous, historic occasion that lay out a new framework that can set an ambitious goal for the entire international community on how much effort is needed if we wish to jointly preserve life on the planet and to make it viable in the future.
“Considering the losses of biodiversity and the challenges posed by climate change worldwide, I sincerely hope that government, civil society, and the private sector can really commit to a new approach, a more ambitious one, but one that is feasible,” he said.
In the context of the sustainable development goals, new concepts of green economy and circular economy, and issues like how to maintain growth and to generate and distribute prosperity among a growing population around the world have been discussed much in the international community. “How to make full use of the natural resources, while keeping a close eye on the preservation of biodiversity is absolutely crucial,” he added.
He highlighted that China’s hosting of the conference shows the country’s strong commitment in addressing the biodiversity conservation issue, while showcasing its progress in this field. China also showed its special concern about helping developing countries to cope with biodiversity loss, which is laudable, he pointed out.
Mahbub Uz Zaman, ambassador of Bangladesh to China
“Timing is absolutely important!” Mahbub Uz Zaman, ambassador of Bangladesh to China, told China Today. He pointed out that many plants and species have already gone extinct or have come to the brink of extinction over the last 100 years. The world is waking up to the fact that the biodiversity loss crisis is as serious as the climate crisis. “We should all work together to save the planet. And we all admire and appreciate the action that has been taken by China,” he said.
He also highly praised Chinese President Xi Jinping’s announcement that China is committing RMB 1.5 billion (about US $230 million) to establish the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, which will help developing and vulnerable countries to protect their biodiversity and to conserve the flora and fauna that are being threatened with extinction.
“This is a very commendable action and commitment by the Chinese government,” he said, and then added, “President Xi also stated that China is committed to peaking carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, which is also commendable.”
Mahbub Uz Zaman indicated that this declaration should be turned into an action plan to not only protect land, freshwater, and the seas, but also to transform the unsustainable agricultural systems, embrace nature-friendly solutions, and ensure adequate funding.
