Highlights and images for 23 June 2022

Thursday marked the midway point of deliberations of the Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (WG2020) with resumed negotiations of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF). Delegates convened throughout the day in contact groups and meetings of "friends of the co-leads" groups.

In the morning, Contact Group 1 addressing goals, milestones, and principles and approaches, co-led by Vinod Mathur (India) and Norbert Bärlocher (Switzerland), met to discuss Goal B on conservation and sustainable use. Parties debated among others, whether to retain references to the Convention on Biological Diversity Article 20 (financial resources). Some requested inclusion of elements on scientific cooperation and technological transfer, while others supported ensuring that these elements are captured adequately in the glossary definition of means of implementation. Discussions on Goal C on sharing of benefits from utilization of genetic resources also attracted new text additions on biological resources and traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources. The Contact Group will continue to deliberate on these goals in the coming days.

In the afternoon, Contact Group 4, co-led by Anne Teller (EU) and Jorge Murillo (Colombia), continued its discussion, addressing targets related to subsidies and incentives harmful for biodiversity, and on increasing financial and non-financial resources for biodiversity conservation. On Target 18 on subsidies and incentives, delegates were able to narrow down options moving from multiple alternative paragraphs to a single one. They were further able to partially clean the text, removing brackets; however, additional work remains. On Target 19.1 on financial resources for biodiversity, following a lengthy discussion over four alternative formulations, a friends of the co-leads was formed to continue discussions. Discussions were more productive under Target 19.2 on strengthening capacity-building and development, where delegates agreed on the text becoming the first contact group to produce consensus text. Discussions on other targets will continue on an additional meeting of the Contact Group on Friday evening.

Two meetings of friends of the co-leads groups took place. In the morning, the first group discussed targets 1-3 on reducing threats to biodiversity and debated terminology, and elements on spatial planning and ecological restoration, among others. In the afternoon, the group on GBF Section J on responsibility and transparency, continued its work focusing particularly on effective mechanisms for planning, monitoring, reporting, and review.

The following contact groups convened in the evening:

• Contact Group 6 on Sections A-E (background, purpose, relationship with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, theory of change, and 2050 Vision and 2030 Mission); and
• Contact Group 2 on reducing threats to biodiversity.

The midway point of the WG2020 was expected to have achieved much, much more than the current progress. Delegates received a message from the Bureau regarding the need to pick up the pace. However, if the number of goals and targets covered over the day was a measure of progress, then advancement was not remarkably faster. The first target that reached consensus during the week was produced by Contact Group 4 on the target on non-financial resources for GBF implementation, including capacity-building and development. Even though they agreed on the target over an hour after their allocated time, the achievement was nevertheless a cause for some celebration. The always present WG2020 Co-Chairs listened and watched thoughtfully, taking notes, which they will perhaps use to advise on the way forward during the stocktake on Friday afternoon.