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Understanding the Targets in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF)
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) is a landmark agreement adopted in 2022 at the Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15) in Montreal, Canada that aims to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2050. It’s a comprehensive plan that sets out ambitious 4 Goals and 23 Targets to protect nature and ensure a sustainable future for all.
Simply put, the KM-GBF is a roadmap for global biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. While the Framework aims to address a wide range of issues, it also recognizes the crucial role of gender equality and women’s empowerment in achieving its goals. This explainer series will delve into the specific Goals and Targets of the KM-GBF from a gender perspective. It explores how each Target should address women and girls’ unique challenges and opportunities in biodiversity conservation. Most importantly, it is an ardent attempt to advocate that Target 23 on Gender Equality and a Gender-Responsive Approach should be considered an integral part of every Target, rather than a separate and isolated one.
Implementing the KM-GBF will require significant global cooperation, investment, and innovative solutions. However, it also presents opportunities for sustainable development, economic growth, and a chance to live in peace with nature. This explainer series aims to explore and explain the importance of gender equality and women’s leadership to achieving the KM-GBF’s ambitious Goals and Targets, ensuring an inclusive approach to protecting Earth’s biodiversity.
There is a sea of information widely available about the CBD and the KM-GBF, however, this Explainer Series is for anyone interested in learning about the KM-GBF from a gender perspective, regardless of their background or knowledge level.
Target 1
Target 2
Target 3
Target 4
Target 5
Target 6
Target 7
Target 8
Target 9
Target 10
Target 11
Target 12
Target 13
Target 14
Target 15
Target 16
Target 17
Target 18
Target 19
Target 20
Target 21
Target 22
Target 23
The Four 2050 Goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF)
The KM-GBF outlines a vision for a world living in harmony with nature by 2050. To achieve this, it sets out four overarching goals to be achieved by 2050. Each of the 23 Targets are tied with the four goals.
GOAL A: Protect and Restore
The integrity, connectivity and resilience of all ecosystems are maintained, enhanced, or restored, substantially increasing the area of natural ecosystems by 2050;
Human induced extinction of known threatened species is halted, and, by 2050, the extinction rate and risk of all species are reduced tenfold and the abundance of native wild species is increased to healthy and resilient levels;
The genetic diversity within populations of wild and domesticated species, is maintained, safeguarding their adaptive potential.
[1] From a gender perspective, to achieve Goal A requires recognising the knowledge and roles that women, especially from Indigenous and Local Communities, play in ecosystem management. Women’s involvement in biodiversity conservation is key to ensuring that these efforts are sustainable and inclusive. Gender-sensitive biodiversity conservation approaches and policies must recognize the disproportionate impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss on women. These policies must be rooted in human rights based approach, which supports women’s leadership and participation in decision-making processes.
Source [1]: United Nations Environment Programme. (n.d.). Why gender is important for biodiversity conservation. UNEP. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/why-gender-important-biodiversity-conservation
GOAL B: Prosper with Nature
Biodiversity is sustainably used and managed and nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services, are valued, maintained and enhanced, with those currently in decline being restored, supporting the achievement of sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations by 2050.
[2] From a gender perspective, to achieve Goal B requires the need to include women in the fair and equitable sharing of biodiversity benefits. Women play a critical role in conserving biodiversity and ensuring the sustainability of their families and communities. However, their contributions are often overlooked, and they frequently lack opportunities to participate meaningfully in decision-making processes related to environmental policies and development projects. Women from Indigenous and Local Communities often depend on biodiversity for livelihoods, food security, and health.
Source [2]: Brendan, T. and Aguilar, L. (2007). Mainstreaming Gender Equality and Equity in AS Governance. IUCN: Costa Rica. pp.101. https://www.preventionweb.net/files/9536_LibroABS.pdf
GOAL C: Share Benefits Fairly
The monetary and non-monetary benefits from the utilization of genetic resources and digital sequence information on genetic resources, and of traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, as applicable, are shared fairly and equitably, including, as appropriate with indigenous peoples and local communities, and substantially increased by 2050, while ensuring traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources is appropriately protected, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, in accordance with internationally agreed access and benefit-sharing instruments.
[3] From a gender perspective, to achieve Goal C requires acknowledging the different needs of women and men. They have different but complementary roles to play in biodiversity conservation. Despite women being some of the main producers of world’s staple crops, gender biases lead policy makers to perceive farmers as being primarily men, which creates hurdles for women to gain equal access to land and technology. Gender-responsive budgeting and financial policies should ensure that women, especially from Indigenous and Local Communities, have equitable access to financial resources for biodiversity conservation efforts.
Sources [3]:
- Brendan, T. and Aguilar, L. (2007). Mainstreaming Gender Equality and Equity in AS Governance. IUCN: Costa Rica. pp.101. https://www.preventionweb.net/files/9536_LibroABS.pdf
- ICIMOD. (2010). Gender Mainstreaming in Biodiversity Conservation and Management in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region [Information Sheet, #4/10].
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://lib.icimod.org/record/26908/files/attachment_722.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi0rsqspM-IAxVexzgGHcgTJyIQFnoECAsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3RgRftXYvusjBc5_R-wLJC
GOAL D: Invest and Collaborate
Adequate means of implementation, including financial resources, capacity-building, technical and scientific cooperation, and access to and transfer of technology to fully implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework are secured and equitably accessible to all Parties, especially developing country Parties, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition, progressively closing the biodiversity finance gap of $700 billion per year, and aligning financial flows with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the 2050 Vision for biodiversity.
[4] From a gender perspective, to achieve Goal D requires the inclusion of women in governance and decision-making processes. Women’s traditional knowledge, particularly in biodiversity management, needs to be recognised and incorporated into mainstream conservation efforts. However, it should not be assumed that women are inherently better environmental stewards than men. Women’s abilities and opportunities for sustainable biodiversity management vary significantly on cultural, social, and economic contexts. This is also where disaggregated data can play a vital role to analyse the unique challenges faced by both women and men. Finally, it does not take away from the fact that women’s contributions are still frequently undervalued or only linked with domestic scenarios.
Source [4]: Picot, L., Sisto, I. & Furst, M. 2023. Engaging women and men equally in managing biodiversity. Guidelines to address gender equality in policies and projects related to biodiversity. Rome, FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc4257en