Agreement in Montreal: 30 percent of the earth's surface should be protected by 2030

Created: 12/19/2022 11:23 am

By: Katja Thorwarth

The COP15 World Summit on Nature in Montreal ended with an agreement.

© Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press/AP/dpa

For two weeks, 193 countries negotiate better environmental protection in Montreal.

At the end there is an agreement that should put more areas under protection.

Montreal - For around two weeks, the participants at the World Nature Summit in Montreal, Canada, have been struggling to reach a joint agreement for better nature conservation.

Now they have been able to agree on a final declaration that is intended to ensure more nature conservation worldwide.

Some country representatives called it "historic" when the Chinese Environment Minister and conference chairman Huang Runqiu announced at a night plenary session: "The agreement has been accepted." At the "COP15" conference, almost 5,000 delegates from 193 countries debated for two weeks.

Montreal Conservation Agreement: 30 percent of land and sea surface to be protected

The agreement, dubbed Kunming-Montréal, envisages that 30 percent of the world's land and sea be declared protected areas by 2030.

They also want to spend more money on protecting biodiversity, and developing countries are to be given 30 billion dollars (28 billion euros) a year for nature conservation.

This means that the key goals of the UN Biodiversity Conference have been met.

The agreement aims to protect the land, oceans and animals from pollution, decay and the climate crisis.

According to scientists from the World Biodiversity Council IPBES, one million of the estimated eight million animal and plant species on earth are threatened with extinction.

Montreal Final Declaration: signal of determination

Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) acknowledged the final declaration as a signal of determination.

"The international community has decided to finally stop the extinction of species," emphasized the Greens politician in Montreal, Canada.

The decision spans "a protective shield for our livelihoods".

Lemke spoke of a good day for environmental protection: "By protecting nature, we protect ourselves and also ensure an environment worth living in for our children." (ktho/AFP)