A draft global report prepared by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has assessed progress toward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, an international agreement adopted in Montreal in 2022 aimed at halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. The second draft, released on 26 July, indicates that countries are not on track to meet 22 of the 23 targets established under the framework unless implementation efforts substantially intensify.
The assessment draws on submissions from participating nations, including national biodiversity strategies, action plans, and progress reports. However, compliance with reporting requirements has been incomplete, with 45% of countries submitting their national plans on schedule, 83% providing at least one national target, and 66% submitting their national reports by the February deadline. The report will undergo final revisions before being formally published ahead of the COP17 summit scheduled for October in Armenia, where countries will conduct a comprehensive review of their progress.
The global report identifies two primary obstacles to achieving the framework’s goals: gaps between the ambition levels of national targets and the scope of global commitments, and insufficient implementation of planned actions. Progress is described as particularly weak in addressing underlying drivers of biodiversity loss, such as harmful business practices and government subsidies, as well as in protecting marine, coastal, and freshwater ecosystems. Additionally, developing nations continue to face barriers related to inadequate financial resources, capacity-building support, and technology transfer.
Among the 23 targets, only one received a positive assessment in the report’s scorecard: Target 8, concerning the minimization of climate change impacts on biodiversity. Target 3, which calls for protecting 30% of Earth’s land and sea by the end of the decade, shows expanding progress in establishing protected areas, particularly in marine regions, though current efforts remain insufficient to fully meet all aspects of the commitment. The report notes that monitoring of equitable governance and recognition of Indigenous and local territories within protected areas remains inadequate.
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