The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) is a landmark agreement ratified in 2022 by Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity that outlines ambitious goals to combat biodiversity decline.

The Framework states outcomes for species to be achieved by 2050 in Goal A and establishes a range of targets to reduce pressures on biodiversity and halt biodiversity loss by 2030. Target 4 calls for urgent recovery actions for species where the implementation of other targets is insufficient to eliminate extinction risk.

Publishing a review paper in the journal BioScience, experts led by Newcastle University analyse key species elements of Goal A and Target 4, examine their meaning and clarify implementation needs.

The scientists emphasise that achieving the ambitions outlined in Goal A - to halt extinctions, reduce extinction risk, and increase species abundance - will require meaningful progress towards all targets, not just Target 4. Targets 1, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are concerned with reducing pressures, all of which affect species.

Target 4 should be seen as a target for species that require urgent focused actions. They highlight how the current Monitoring Framework is unable to adequately measure progress towards implementing urgent recovery actions and emphasize that appropriate indicators are needed to measure progress towards Target 4.

The authors discuss the key role of access to information to support attainment of species elements in Goal A, highlighting that Section C of the Framework encourages a whole of government and whole of society approach that will be instrumental for the successful implementation of the Framework.

Capacity building, cooperation, and knowledge exchange will be another key area of development. The experts’ analysis shows that it is critical that all stakeholders, Parties, businesses, and members of civil society identify where they can act and then implement necessary actions.

Study lead author, Professor Philip McGowan, Professor of Conservation Science and Policy at Newcastle University, said: "The new Global Biodiversity Framework has very ambitious Goals and Targets for species and after four years of negotiation by the world's countries, the range of words and phrases it contains may mean different things to different people.

“We have drawn on the negotiations themselves and existing research to suggest what key words and phrases mean in practice, in the hope of helping to achieve the ambition in the Framework."

Study co-author, Dr Alison Hutchinson, Research Associate Species Conservation, Newcastle University School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, added:

“This paper elaborates on the key terms held within Goal A and Target 4 of the Global Biodiversity Framework to give clarity as to what these concepts may mean in practice.

“Achieving Framework’s ambitions to prevent species extinction and to live in harmony with nature will require recognising and filling knowledge gaps, embracing co-operation across governments and society, and drawing on all available science, resources, and worldviews so that effective and transformative policies and management can be implemented to tackle the biodiversity-loss crisis.”

The review can support Parties updating and implementing their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, by clarifying the outcomes for species and actions required to address Goal A and Target 4.

Reference

Philip J K McGowan, Alison Hutchinson, Thomas M Brooks, Wendy Elliott, Michael Hoffmann, Louise Mair, Amy McDougall, Domitilla C Raimondo, Stuart H M Butchart, Understanding and achieving species elements in the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, BioScience, 2024;, biae065, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae065