Highlights and images for 18 December 2022

A late night plenary adopted a compromise package of six decisions on the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework (GBF) and related matters, including resource mobilization and digital sequence information (DSI). Procedural concerns were raised over adoption after reservations expressed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The penultimate day of the meeting opened with circulation of the President’s non-papers on the main items under negotiation:

• the GBF;
• the monitoring framework for the GBF;
• resource mobilization;
• DSI on genetic resources;
• capacity building and development, and technical and scientific cooperation; and
• mechanisms for planning, monitoring, reporting, and review.

Want to dig deeper? Read the full Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report in English ou en français.

A closed meeting of heads of delegations addressed the President’s non-papers throughout the day, followed by hours of informal consultations. For most participants, the day was marked by predictions and anticipation, as they spent the day waiting for the evening plenary, studying the documents, and exchanging ideas on their content as well as on the way forward.

Plenary eventually opened at 2:54 am on Monday morning. Adoption was accompanied by procedural controversy, as COP President Huang Runqiu gaveled adoption of the compromise package despite reservations raised by the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While most participants celebrated what they considered a “historic moment,” some parties put on record their concerns regarding the process followed. Others expressed the hope that the circumstances of adoption will not cast a shadow over an otherwise impressive compromise reached on the GBF and relevant items.