- This week some 23,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries meet in Colombia to discuss progress in biodiversity loss prevention
- Just 16% of the biodiversity frameworks signatories have filed their biodiversity plan ahead of the meet
- Between 1970 and 2018, there was a 69% decline in monitored wildlife on average – with the greatest decrease in freshwater species (84%)
While you may already be familiar with the UN’s climate change conference (COP) nearing their 29th meet next month in Azerbaijan, widely known for the Paris Agreement, the UN’s lesser publicised nature equivalent began this week in Colombia. The CBD COP meets every two years to further the preservation and protection effort of the natural world, with a view to restoring the ecosystems that economies and people rely on.
This year’s conference is significant as countries are expected to present a national biodiversity strategy and action plan (NBSAP) that explains how they will meet the targets that they agreed to at the last COP. We are hopeful that an important agreement can be reached around the measurement of biodiversity success, since financing and land protection is relatively straightforward whereas other key areas of focus, for example measuring specie loss, biodiversity density and resource management are more subjective.
WWF living planet index
The index measures 31,821 populations of 5,230 species weighted by species richness across terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems.
Source: Visual Capitalist and WWF
At the time of writing, just 31 of the 196 countries have filed their biodiversity plans with another 73 submitting simplified documentation, specifying biodiversity targets rather than a roadmap to success. This doesn’t bode well for vital discussions around funding, with the Global Biodiversity Framework fund attracting only $238m since the last conference.
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework agreement (GBF)
Adopted by 196 countries in December 2022, the GBF aims to halt and reverse nature loss globally, providing a framework of 23 targets to be achieved by 2030 and four longer term goals by 2050. The agreement is ambitious and requires specialised knowledge, funding and co-operation. They include:
- Effective conservation and management of at least 30% of the world’s lands, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans
- Mobilise $200bn per year toward biodiversity funding
- Closing the biodiversity finance gap of $700bn per year by 2050
- Halting human-induced extinction of known threatened species
- Reduce harmful government subsidies by $500 billion annually
- Cut global food waste in half
- Ensure gender equality in the implementation of the framework
Bowmore portfolios
While biodiversity and nature loss prevention remain relatively niche as investable themes for the time being, our sustainable portfolios look to invest across asset classes that demonstrate strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices overall.
An example allocation included within the thematic equity exposure of such portfolios is Janus Henderson’s global sustainable equity fund, which seeks to invest in businesses that not only exhibit robust financial health but also contribute positively to global sustainable development and have leading responsible management practices. The fund has returned 13.8% year to date.
