COP15 delayed for third time

Reacting to the revised dates of COP15 by host country China and the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Dilys Roe, principal researcher at IIED said:
Press release, 19 August 2021

“The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) secretariat and presidency made the right decision. This additional time allows opportunity for a more fair and equitable negotiation and consultation process, and helps to avoid poor decision-making being rushed at the 11th hour.

“Holding COP15 in the middle of a pandemic presents challenges for many, especially for delegates and other representatives from the global South. This revised approach partly helps overcome these – especially given the very low vaccination rates of many lower income countries.

“But it is critical that momentum isn’t lost and that societies transform their relationship with nature and climate for a healthy, prosperous, sustainable future. The upcoming virtual negotiations this month and the talks opening in October will be crucial for that.”

Contact

For more information or to request an interview, contact Sarah Grainger via email sarah.grainger@iied.org or 07803 116434.

For more information or to request an interview, contact Simon Cullen: 
+44 7503 643332 or simon.cullen@iied.org