The European Union plans to use the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, COP17, due to be held in Yerevan, to call for faster implementation of international nature protection commitments and higher public and private financing. According to Factor.am, that position follows from conclusions approved by the EU Environment Council.
On October 12, the EU Environment Council endorsed the bloc’s main negotiating positions for both COP17 and the UN climate conference COP31. At COP17, the EU intends to argue that the level of ambition already agreed for biodiversity protection must not be watered down.
Christopher O’Sullivan, Ireland’s Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, representing the country holding the presidency of the Council of the EU, said that at a time when both multilateral cooperation and nature conservation are being tested, the EU remains firmly committed to securing positive outcomes at COP17. He said the level of ambition set under the Global Biodiversity Framework cannot be reduced.
Under the EU’s approved approach, biodiversity protection should be integrated into policies and regulation across sectors, while related decisions should rely on scientifically sound and reliable data. Brussels also plans to urge international partners to act faster and in a more coordinated way, involving all parts of the economy as well as different groups in society.
The Council of the European Union described climate change and biodiversity loss as two directly interconnected crises. In that context, it highlighted the need to speed up implementation of commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework. At COP31, scheduled for November 9–20 in Antalya, Turkey, the EU also plans to press for effective implementation of national climate plans, a gradual phaseout of fossil fuels and a faster transition to clean energy systems.
