Sunset over the desert near Yulara in Central Australia. Photo: Arthur Mostead
The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is one of three international environment agreements that emerged from the Rio Earth Summit held in 1992.
The other two agreements are:
- the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and
- the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
Australia has been a Party to the CBD since 1993 and is committed to implementing its obligations in accordance with its national priorities.
The CBD is an international legally-binding treaty with three objectives:
- The conservation of biodiversity
- The sustainable use of its components
- The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.
- More about the Convention on Biological Diversity
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework set’s out four global goals to 2050 and 23 global targets to 2030 which work toward a vision of living in harmony with nature by 2050.
Following four years of negotiations, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted by Parties on 19 December 2022 at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD, held in Montreal, Canada under the presidency of the People’s Republic of China.
Australia's Strategy for Nature 2024-2030
The CBD provides an important framework for Australia's integration of natural resources and environment and biodiversity management policies. Under the CBD all parties are required to have a national biodiversity strategy and action plan. Since becoming a Party to the CBD over 20 years ago, the Australian Government, all States and Territories and local Government have been operating under a national biodiversity strategy and action plan.
Australia’s current National Biodiversity Strategy and Action plan, known as Australia’s Strategy for Nature 2024-2030, has been updated to align with the Global Biodiversity Framework. It brings together existing work across the country and sets Australia’s direction to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
- More information on Australia’s Strategy for Nature 2024-2030.
National reporting
Parties are required to report on national implementation of the Convention, including the global targets included in the CBD’s Strategic Plan, and implementation of national biodiversity strategies.
Australia's reports:
- Australia's Sixth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity
- Australia's Fifth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity
- Australia's Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity
- Australia's Third National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity
- Australia's Second National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity
- Australia's First National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity