15th Conference of the Parties (COP15)
Event website:
https://www.cbd.int/conferences/2021-2022
Location:
Kunming, China
Description:
The 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was initially scheduled to take place in October 2020 and has been delayed four times due to the COVID pandemic. China is set to host the second part of the meeting in Kunming but has yet to set a new date as of mid-2022. Several members of the COP Bureau have requested that the CBD Secretariat propose options for potential dates and locations to hold the meeting during Q3 or Q4 2022. The COP15 negotiations are the crucial decision point for adopting a post-2020 global biodiversity framework, which currently includes a target to protect at least 30 percent of land and water by 2030. A broad coalition of countries currently support the 30x30 target, though many suggest that sufficient funding and ongoing monitoring will be essential to the long-term success of a potential framework.