Key facts
- Countries are off track on 22 of 23 global biodiversity targets.
- The Kunming-Montreal framework aims to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030.
- Global leaders aim to mobilize at least $200 billion annually by 2030 for nature preservation.
- Governments are urged to identify and redirect damaging subsidies, estimated at $500 billion annually.
World leaders, diplomats, and nature experts are convening in Yerevan, Armenia, for the 17th UN "Conference of the Parties" (COP17) to review progress on halting biodiversity loss. The conference is the first major assessment under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, established in 2022 with the aim of protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030. However, a draft UN report indicates that countries are falling behind on 22 out of 23 set goals. While an estimated 27.5% of land protection is likely by 2030, broader objectives remain significantly off track. Discussions are expected to center on funding mechanisms, particularly the $30 billion public finance goal, and the reform of approximately $500 billion in annual subsidies that harm nature.