Protecting biological diversity

Saturday Morning

The UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP16, has just wrapped up. Governments and other interested parties have reaffirmed the commitment made two years ago - to protect a third of the planet for nature by 2030. In order to do so, 23 targets were agreed to - including conserving at least 30 percent of land and oceans. But less than a week out from the global hui, the vast majority - 80 percent of countries, including New Zealand, hadn't submitted their plans on how to reach those targets. Manu Caddie, who is part of the Indigenous Caucus, representing the Aotearoa Indigenous Rights Trust, which is an organisation established more than 20 years ago to support Maori participation in multilateral forums, talks to Mihi about why having a plan is so important.