COP15: Nations reach ‘historic’ deal to protect nature

By Helen Briggs

Environment correspondent in Montreal

Nations have agreed to protect a third of the planet for nature by 2030 in a landmark deal aimed at safeguarding biodiversity.

There will also be targets for protecting vital ecosystems such as rainforests and wetlands and the rights of indigenous peoples.

The agreement at the COP15 UN biodiversity summit in Montreal, Canada, came early on Monday morning.

The summit had been moved from China and postponed due to Covid.

China, which was in charge of the meeting, brought down the gavel on the deal despite a last minute objection from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres hailed the deal and said: “We are finally starting to forge a peace pact with nature.”

The main points include:

Maintaining, enhancing and restoring ecosystems, including halting species extinction and maintaining genetic diversity

Exposing the Big Game