Recommendations for the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework – ACBA
In an extensive report following the recently ended CBD Geneva meeting in March 2022, the African CSOs Biodiversity Alliance (ACBA) issued Recommendations for the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
As well as commenting on specific targets that address all the direct drivers of biodiversity loss as stipulated in the Global Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the paper declared that “ACBA supports an integrated approach over an ‘apex target’ approach.”
Explaining this approach, the report continues:
“ACBA’s core focus is on sustainable use, which is inherently site and context specific, and requires integrated delivery of all three objectives of the Convention (and Goals A-C of the GBF) to be successful.
ACBA has proposed a ‘shared earth, shared ocean’ framework to support implementation, representing a paradigm shift connecting people with nature locally, and distancing from the classical approaches alienating people from nature.
Its four principles include:
1. the focus is on the local scale;
2. equity principles ensure needs and rights of people are met, prioritizing local institutions and rights holders, assisted by governments, organizations, scientists and others;
3. all relevant knowledge is integrated at this level, including local and traditional knowledge,accumulated experience, social and cultural concerns and scientific knowledge (translated to this scale using platforms that can help assure consistency to larger scales);
4. all relevant targets of the GBF are addressed jointly as none can be achieved in isolation.
It concludes:
“A consequence of this approach is that all areas irrespective of state- from degraded to intact, are managed in a way that contributes to conserving biodiversity and supporting human well-being.”
