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COP15: 2022 Montreal Biodiversity Conference Has Begun!

07.12.2022


Just as the climate focused COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh has come to an end, another important Conference of the Parties is about to begin. The COP15 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity is taking place from 7 – 19 December 2022 in Montreal. The aim of this year’s conference is for governments to commit to adopting a post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The framework provides a strategic vision and a global roadmap for the conservation, protection, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity, and ecosystems for the next decade.

Auditors around the world have also addressed biological diversity. In May 2022, the INTOSAI WGEA published a Bulletin, which summarises the action of WGEA and SAIs in the areas of SDG 14 on Life Below Water and SDG 15 on Life on Land. WGEA has supported SAIs by providing guidance on auditing biodiversity and making research on new emerging topics, such as ocean acidification. For example, SAIs have audited the effectiveness of agricultural policy in protecting biodiversity, management of protected areas, protection of water resources, and marine pollution. The latest submission in the audit database indicated that SAIs have audited for example tree-planting schemes as well as climate change adaptation actions.

Overall, when it comes to biodiversity SAIs have recommended the following to their governments:

  • follow- up on compliance with legislation/policies
  • improve planning and long-term considerations
  • conduct better environmental impact assessments
  • follow the principles of good governance, such as transparency
  • improve on coordination and cooperation
  • pay attention to funding gaps as well as prudent and effective use of public funds
  • collect more high-quality data

For more information on biodiversity audits: INTOSAI WGEA Bulletin on SDGs 14 and 15

INTOSAI WGEA audit database: Audit Database (environmental-auditing.org)

For more information on COP15: Convention on Biological Diversity (cbd.int)