California Academy of Sciences Statement on the Historic Biodiversity Deal Agreed Upon at COP15

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (December 20, 2022) — More than 190 countries adopted a global framework Monday at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Montreal aimed at halting the decline of biodiversity around the world. This historic agreement, known as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, recognizes both the importance of biodiversity and the urgent need to protect it by committing the signing countries to protect 30 percent of Earth’s land and oceans by 2030. Though the United States is not a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity and therefore did not sign the agreement, similar goals have been set by the Biden Administration and the state of California, which the California Academy of Sciences supports through our Thriving California initiative.

In response to this major milestone, Academy Executive Director Scott Sampson, PhD, has released the following statement:

“It is heartening to witness our global community coming together to address biodiversity loss on a scale that matches the severity of the crisis. Yet international agreements are only effective insofar as they are implemented, so now is the time for bold actions. Halting the decline of biodiversity is not enough. We must also seek to regenerate the natural world and fix humanity's broken relationship with the rest of nature if we are to secure a healthy planet for generations to come.

“We look forward to continuing to leverage our vast scientific collections, expertise on biodiversity science and environmental learning, and longstanding global collaborations to support governments, nonprofits, and local communities as they work towards the goals established in this agreement.

“Importantly, this work will only be successful if accomplished through deep and equitable partnerships. While it was encouraging to see Indigenous communities and developing nations represented at COP15, more could—and should—have been done to ensure that the agreed-upon goals do not negatively impact these communities, which all too often bear the brunt of global challenges such as biodiversity loss and climate change. As the Academy pushes forward on catalyzing a regenerative future, we will continue to prioritize authentic partnerships, working not just in but with communities, both locally here in California and around the world.”