This October, representatives of the 196 parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will gather in Kunming, China, to finalize a new Global Biodiversity Framework. Like the 2015 Paris climate accord, this new agreement could mark a turning point in how we manage our relationship to nature.
But biodiversity advocates must learn an important lesson from climate activists. Global climate action gained momentum only after it became clear that the issue was about more than the environment and would require a transformation of transport, energy, agriculture, infrastructure and many industries.
Likewise, the rapid loss of biodiversity that we are witnessing is about much more than nature. The collapse of ecosystems will threaten the well-being and livelihoods of everyone on the planet. Accordingly, the CBD must move beyond traditional notions of "conservation" to engage with all relevant sectors of the economy and civil society.
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