China’s role in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

The adoption of the ambitious global goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) by the international community is a great achievement and important for international environmental governance. However, their implementation is challenging. The 30×30 biodiversity goal is far from being met; similarly, connected targets including the 1.5°C climate goal and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are significantly off track. Current commitments and action are falling short, while an increasingly divided world further complicates global efforts to address environmental threats and build resilient development.

As the world fears another decade of failure on biodiversity and urgently seeks leadership to advance the GBF, China stands in a position to take a lead on and further enhance its influence in international environmental governance. Covering a vast territory, China is home to exceptional biodiversity, encompassing nearly all terrestrial ecosystem types and hosting thousands of endemic and threatened species. Through its overseas infrastructure projects and investments, as well as its large demand for natural resources from abroad, China’s influence on biodiversity reaches far beyond its borders. Since adopting the GBF, China has actively translated the global commitments into national action and has achieved outstanding tangible outcomes. It has also demonstrated a strong capacity in shaping global environmental politics as the presidency of Biodiversity COP15 and subsequently, from initiating agendas and coordinating efforts to building consensus and promoting action.

Within the existing literature, discussions on China’s role in global environmental governance mainly focus on climate change, and while studies on the difficulties of implementing international environmental agreements, including those related to biodiversity, abound, China’s role in strengthening global ambition in this area and addressing associated challenges has been overlooked. China’s domestic biodiversity conservation policies have also been widely examined, but the question of how China could leverage its various roles and assets to promote the implementation of the GBF has not received enough attention. This report aims to fill this research gap by exploring China’s role in promoting implementation of the GBF.

Key insights

• As a driving force in biodiversity conservation, China has enormous potential that could be leveraged to support global biodiversity conservation efforts. In the years since the GBF was endorsed, China has systematically embedded international biodiversity objectives into its national implementation actions, resulting in substantial and verifiable progress. By sustaining this strong trajectory and deepening its national efforts, China is well positioned to lead by example and help drive broader, global progress towards achieving the goals of the GBF.
• The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China’s global investment and infrastructure development project aimed at boosting trade and connectivity, has a huge impact on biodiversity while also representing a significant vehicle for promoting global implementation of the GBF. By addressing biodiversity loss as a priority in the development of a green BRI, China could contribute significantly to advancing global biodiversity progress. By protecting rare species and all ecosystems along the BRI’s route, expanding biodiversity financing and enhancing biodiversity conservation in the development of BRI infrastructure projects, China could set a path towards a win–win for the environment and development.
• As one of the world’s megadiverse countries, China has a deep understanding of biodiversity and has accumulated rich experience in biodiversity conservation. By actively promoting knowledge exchange and sharing best practices, success stories and lessons learned, China could influence and inspire biodiversity conservation practices in other countries.
• Among the world’s frontrunners in digital advancement, China has the capacity to strengthen global cooperation on innovation and deployment of digital technology in support of global biodiversity conservation action. By exploring key biodiversity-related digital technology and policies through international communication and cooperation, as well as helping the Global South gain better access to global advances in these technologies, China could contribute significantly to enhancing digital technology’s role as part of the solution to biodiversity conservation.
• As the developing world is struggling with a debt crisis and a lack of resources to protect nature, China’s engagement in global debt efforts and its financial offerings could substantively support developing countries in their biodiversity conservation endeavours and effective implementation of the GBF.
• Halting and reversing nature loss is everyone’s business and the implementation of the GBF requires an urgent increase in global confidence, momentum, political will, solidarity, awareness and engagement. By means of diplomatic efforts, China could bring biodiversity to the fore and help build consensus, strengthen cooperation and assemble the global force in nature conservation and restoration.