Wetlands International at CBD COP15

The fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will take place in Montreal, Canada, and will see the adoption of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

The framework provides a strategic vision and a global roadmap for the conservation, protection, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystems for the next decade.

Why does COP15 matter for wetlands?

Although now only accounting for only around 6% of the Earth’s surface area, the diversity of life sustained by wetlands is disproportionately high, with approximately 40% of all known plant and animal species living or breeding in inland waters.

Despite their importance, inland water ecosystems have seen the greatest loss and degradation of the three realms, with more than 80% of inland waters lost compared to 70% of terrestrial area transformed, and 60% of oceans impacted. This ecosystem loss and degradation have seen a decline on an average of 83% in freshwater species populations since 1970, compared to 36% marine and 38% terrestrial.

To achieve the overall goal for 2030 of reversing biodiversity loss, it is crucial to acknowledge the role that natural inland waters play as critical habitats and in maintaining processes that underpin biodiversity.

Resources

Documents

Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: Ensuring protection and restoration of Inland Waters [Key messages]

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Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: Ensuring protection and restoration of Inland Waters [Brief]

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Publication Building with Nature in Indonesia 2015-2021

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Rights of Wetlands: Transforming Our Relationship with Wetlands

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Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: Support and a Pathway for Inland Water Ecosystems in the ‘30 by 30’ Target, Monitoring Framework and Implementation

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