The lead up to the UN Biodiversity Conference in Kunming, China, provides the global community with further opportunities to galvanize efforts at all levels to build a better future in harmony with nature.

The Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has considered and approved revised dates for the following meetings:

Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity 

Tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization

These meetings will now be held from 11 to 24 October 2021, in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China.  The dates were proposed based on consultations held through the Bureau members with their respective regions as well as consultations between the CBD Secretariat and the Government of the People’s Republic of China.

The Secretariat remains committed to ensuring the successful and timely preparation of COP-15 and the concurrent meetings of the Parties to the Protocols. Ongoing discussions about the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, to be agreed in Kunming,  are taking place between CBD Parties  and a range of stakeholders. These discussions have revolved around two key documents, which highlight the opportunities needed to conserve biodiversity:

the recently published fifth Global Biodiversity Outlook, and

the updated zero draft of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

An integrated approach must be taken to guarantee that action is taken to employ the essential tools needed to reverse biodiversity loss and its impact on ecosystems, species and people.  Key actions to support this approach include protecting critical habitats, improving water quality, controlling invasive species and safeguarding connectivity.

The Secretariat will make information available, regarding the meetings' agendas, registration and other logistical arrangements, in due course.

The COP Bureau, together with the SBSTTA Bureau, is currently undertaking consultations with regions concerning the dates and modalities for the formal meetings of the subsidiary bodies, with a view to convening the Twenty-fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and the Third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation soon as possible, potentially in the second half of April or May 2021, and the Third meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in August 2021, in order to allow timely preparation for COP-15 and related meetings.