Aichi Biodiversity Targets
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| Aichi Biodiversity Targets | |
|---|---|
| Name | Aichi Biodiversity Targets |
| Adopted | 2010 |
| Venue | Nagoya |
| Treaty | Convention on Biological Diversity |
| Period | 2011–2020 |
| Purpose | Global biodiversity conservation targets |
Aichi Biodiversity Targets
The Aichi Biodiversity Targets were a set of twenty time-bound, measurable objectives adopted in 2010 at the Nagoya Conference under the Convention on Biological Diversity to guide global action on biodiversity from 2011 to 2020. Framed during the CBD COP10 in Nagoya, Aichi, the Targets sought to align conservation priorities among parties such as Brazil, China, India, United States (as a non-ratifying actor), and members of the European Union. The Targets influenced policy in multilateral fora including the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.
Background and Development
The Targets emerged from negotiations within the Convention on Biological Diversity process, shaped by inputs from stakeholders like the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Global Environment Facility, and indigenous organizations including the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The lead-up to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing and commitments under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety contextualized discussions, alongside scientific assessments from the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Key negotiators included representatives from Japan as host, delegations from Kenya, Mexico, Australia, and policy advisors from the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat.
The 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets
The Targets were organized under five strategic goals and ranged from reducing habitat loss to curbing invasive species and improving access to genetic resources. They reflected priorities championed by conservation NGOs such as Conservation International and research institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Targets referenced protected area expansion linked to international commitments like the World Heritage Convention and financial mechanisms such as the Global Environment Facility. Science contributors included the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List and academic centers such as University of Oxford and Stanford University that influenced metric design.
Implementation and National Biodiversity Strategies
Implementation relied on Parties integrating Targets into national instruments including National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans and policy tools influenced by agencies like the Ministry of the Environment (Japan), Ministry of Environment and Forests (India), and the European Commission. Funding and capacity building often involved the Global Environment Facility and bilateral donors such as Japan International Cooperation Agency and United States Agency for International Development. Civil society actors including BirdLife International, Greenpeace, and indigenous groups participated in national consultations alongside academic partners like University of Cambridge and Australian National University.
Monitoring, Reporting, and Assessment
Monitoring frameworks drew on datasets from the IUCN Red List, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, and remote sensing operated by NASA and the European Space Agency. Parties reported progress through CBD reporting mechanisms and national reports assessed in syntheses by the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre and reports by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Independent evaluations used indicators developed by the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat, with methodological contributions from institutions such as Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society).
Outcomes, Achievements, and Shortcomings
By 2020, achievements included expanded protected areas influenced by initiatives from IUCN and designations under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and UNESCO World Heritage. Some countries, including Costa Rica, Bhutan, and Germany, reported progress on specific Targets. However, global assessments by IPBES and the CBD Secretariat documented shortfalls in meeting most Targets, citing unmet goals on habitat degradation, invasive species, and financial flows. Critical shortcomings were attributed to limited enforcement in sectors regulated by agencies such as national ministries in Brazil and Indonesia, insufficient funding levels from multilateral sources including the Global Environment Facility, and fragmented reporting comparable to critiques raised by World Bank analysts. Scientific critiques from Nature (journal) and Science (journal) highlighted gaps in indicator design and data coverage.
Legacy and Influence on Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework
The Targets shaped the negotiation architecture for the post-2020 agenda, directly informing the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework process led by the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat with inputs from the United Nations Environment Programme and stakeholder platforms including IUCN and WWF International. Lessons from implementation influenced target-setting, monitoring improvements leveraging platforms like the Group on Earth Observations and funding reforms through proposals discussed at CBD COP15 in Montreal (held in 2022). Legacy elements persist in national policies across countries such as South Africa, Japan, and France and in corporate commitments endorsed by coalitions like the Science Based Targets Network.