Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 14 martyrs arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli massacre of al-Sultan Family north of Gaza.

Activists take to Montreal streets demanding more action from COP15

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 11 Dec 2022 11:36
4 Min Read

The current text on biodiversity does not commit nations to increase action if targets are not met and instead "urges" them to consider a global review every 4 years.

  • x
  • COP15 in Montreal (La Presse)
    COP15 in Montreal (La Presse)

On the sidelines of the COP15 conference on the preservation of biodiversity, conservation groups expressed concern on Saturday as the conference shows no transparent mechanisms for implementing the targets, leading protesters to urge for more action. 

Guido Broekhoven, head of policy and research at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), said, "Strong text that commits countries to review progress against global targets and ratchet up action over time is essential to hold governments accountable," adding that he felt "very worried" about the current state of negotiations.

Similarly, the last 10-year biodiversity deal known as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets adopted in 2010 in Japan was regarded as a failure for not being able to reach the targets and objectives set. 

'Protect Indigenous people first'

The Paris agreement of 2016 focused on adaptation, implementation strategies, and international cooperation, in the form of "nationally determined contributions" to combat global warming. 

The current text on biodiversity, on the other hand, does not commit countries to amp up action if targets are found to not be met and instead solely "urges" them to consider a global review every four years.

Aleksandar Rankovic, of the US nonprofit Avaaz, told AFP, "So what we have on the table is barely an encouragement to maybe do better," adding, "And there is no compliance mechanism being discussed that could help organize this necessary conversation between governments, on how they could cooperate better."

Related News

Turkey withdraws as COP16 host, UN looking for alternative

Peruvian lawmakers attempt to pass bill to unprotect Indigenous people

Read next: 89% of industry engagement in biodiversity are greenwashing: Report

The UNFCCC event taking place from December 7-19 gathers nearly 5,000 delegates from 193 countries to devise "a pact of peace with nature," in an attempt to preserve forests, oceans, habitats, and species.

A large majority of Indigenous Canadians joined in on the protests in the streets of Montreal as they donned costumes resembling birds, trees, and reindeer, which is a symbol of Canada's forests now threatened by climate change. 

"The people are trying to speak, trying to say you can't just talk, you have got to act," said Sheila Laursen, a member of the activist group Raging Grannies. 

Member of a tribe that calls the Ecuadoran Amazon home, Helena Gualinga, commented, "Let's not forget that... to protect biodiversity we need to protect Indigenous people first, Indigenous people are protecting biodiversity." 

'A bicycle without gears'

Li Shuo, global policy advisor of Asia at Greenpeace, told AFP, "If biodiversity targets are the compass, implementation is the actual vessel to take us there." 

According to Shuo, the negotiations are currently "missing critical elements" meant to mandate nations into increasing activity over time, as he describes the situation as "a bicycle without gears."

French think tank IDDRI researcher Juliette Landry expressed some hope that progress was made, noting that for the first time, common planning and reporting templates were adopted by the nations during this COP event. 

In light of the pressure arising from protests and activists, an additional meeting day next week was approved.

The EU is one of the largest perpetrators of biodiversity loss. A report from the European court of auditors done two years ago, which previously warned of the EU's failure to stop marine biodiversity loss and to restore fishing to sustainable levels in European waters, found that it has left 99% of continental waters unprotected from bottom trawling, industrial-scale extraction, and other “high-impact activities” with only 1% set up as “true” marine protected areas (MPAs) and only 10.8% of the surface of Europe’s seas had been designated as MPAs in 2017. 

  • cop15
  • United Nations
  • Montreal
  • biodiversity

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
People protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on Friday, September 27, 2024 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' stops unfunded diplomacy ahead of UN, October 7 memorial

An Israeli Air Force fighter jet releases flares over the Gaza Strip, is seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

OIC summit draft: Israeli attack on Qatar risks normalization

People shout slogans and hold Palestinian flags while protesting during the twenty-first stage of La Vuelta cycling race from Alalpardo to Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (AP)
Sports

Pro-Palestine protests force abrupt end to Vuelta a España finale

Damage is seen after an Israeli strike targeted a compound that hosted Hamas' political leadership in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli regime faces growing isolation over Qatar strike: Reports

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS