On 19 December 2024, the global biodiversity community celebrates the two years that have passed since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM GBF). This landmark document represents the most recent and ambitious international agreement signed within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

The KM GBF was the culmination of a four-year period of comprehensive research, detailed consultations and arduous negotiations all leading up to the CBD’s 15th Conference of Parties (COP15)  back in 2022. Representatives of 196 countries placed their signatures on the Framework, committing to a vision for a thriving, resilient biosphere in Earth’s immediate future. 

At its core, the KM GBF sets out four overarching strategic goals that are to guide stakeholders activities on the road to 2050:

• Protect and Restore: ensuring the integrity, connectivity and resilience of all ecosystems on the planet

• Prosper with Nature: managing biodiversity sustainably worldwide

• Share Benefits Fairly: distributing the benefits from the utilization of genetic resources in a just manner

• Invest and Collaborate: cooperating in pursuit of equitable access to resources for the implementation of biodiversity policies

In turn, those principles are complemented by 23 concrete targets that are meant to be fulfilled by 2030 in accordance with individual circumstances in each of the implementing countries. National biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs) were devised as a mechanism for accountability and transparency throughout this process. Moreover, a particular emphasis was placed on efforts to enhance communication, education, awareness and uptake on the subject of biodiversity as a means to secure broader support for the KM GBF’s aspirations.

Since its adoption, the Framework has served as a centrepiece of research and policymaking related to the planet’s biosphere. So far, 119 countries have opted for a full alignment of their national targets with those of the agreement. More recently, discussions during COP16, which took place in Cali, Colombia, highlighted the enduring importance of the KM GBF in the years to come.

CO-OP4CB has followed developments surrounding the document since the moment of its entry into force. As part of the project’s endeavour to bridge the gap between policy and science and support the implementation of the KM GBF in the EU and associated countries, the project has served as a source of valuable expertise when it comes to explaining the KM GBF to stakeholder audiences. This stance is rooted in the appreciation for the crucial role the framework is to play as the world navigates the next chapter of global biodiversity restoration and conservation.