UN biodiversity treaty talks Cop15 relocated to Italy from China

The global talks Cop15 on biodiversity treaty due to be held in the City of Kunming, China has reportedly been relocated to Italy over the looming global Coronavirus outbreak. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) meeting was supposed to be hosted at Yunnan province from 24th February onwards to 29th where negotiators were due to review draft proposals for a global framework for the conservation of wildlife and plants, suggest reports.

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According to the reports, U.N.’s Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity announced Saturday that while Kunming stands well in consideration to host the main round of global biodiversity meeting in October 2020, the current meeting has been conveyed to Rome. It said that the decision comes after consultation with the government of China as a consequence of the 2019-nCoV global public health emergency.

Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, the acting executive secretary to U.N.’s Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, told the media that the CBD secretariat recognised the enormous efforts undertaken by China to control the virus pandemic and limit disruption. She further added that the sectarian and China regret the inconvenience and are committed to ensuring that the development of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and other preparations (for Cop 15) proceed in a timely and effective manner.

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Cop15 would serve as a framework for biodiversity protection

Negotiators, Biodiversity campaigners, and experts suggested that Cop15 would serve as a framework for biodiversity protection similar to the Paris Agreement that monitors climate change, suggest reports. According to the reports, the early draft proposal suggests conservation of 30 per cent of the world’s land and seas by 2030, halt of the destruction of planet’s biodiversity including climate change, depletion of habitat, pollution, and invasive species.

Last year, Cristiana Pașca Palmer, Former CBD head reportedly resigned amid allegations of mismanagement ahead of key biodiversity summit as CBD came under the scrutiny of UN’s Office of International Oversight Services (OIOS) auditors.

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