China and Canada claim 'tremendous' progress at high-stakes UN biodiversity negotiations, saying they are confident COP15 delegates would reach a major deal to save natural world from destruction
Issue of how much money the rich countries — collectively known as the Global North — will send to the Global South, home to most of the world's biodiversity, has emerged as the biggest sticking point.
But the Chinese chair of the conference said on Saturday he was "greatly confident" delegates would reach a deal and his Canadian counterpart said "tremendous" progress had been made. French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: "With just a few days to go before the end of the COP 15 Biodiversity Conference in Montreal, my message to our partners is: now is not the time for small decisions, let's go big!
Major draft goals now include a cornerstone pledge to protect 30 percent of the world's land and oceans by 2030. Representatives of Indigenous communities, who safeguard 80 percent of the world's remaining biodiversity, want their rights to practice stewardship of their lands to be enshrined in the final agreement.
Several countries have announced new commitments either at the COP or recently, with Europe emerging as a key leader.But these commitments are still well short of what observers say is needed, and what developing countries are seeking.
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