The Conference of Parties (COP) 15 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in 2020 will be a landmark opportunity to strengthen global environmental governance, as new targets will be agreed for the protection of terrestrial and marine ecosystems up to 2030 and beyond. It will be held in Yunnan province of China in June 2020.

In order to build broad stakeholder awareness and movement around the topic of nature in the run up to COP 15, ClientEarth and International Environmental Cooperation Center (IECO) of Ministry of Ecology and Environment organized a reception on March 19 to bring together stakeholders including representatives from government, academia, diplomatic, business, NGOs, CBD secretariat, and other relevant stakeholders for discussing how to better manage supply chains in China towards protecting biodiversity and ecosystems.

Dr. Vincent Martin, Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO) in China, participated in a panel discussion together with Cristiana Pasca Palmer, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biodiversity (CBD), Mattis Raustoel, Norwegian Embassy in Beijing, Minister Counsellor; Dimitri de Boer, Chief Representative of ClientEarth China Office and Justin Adams, Tropical Forest Alliance Director.

In his keynote address, Dr Martin briefly introduced the findings of the State of the World’s biodiversity for food and agriculture, first ever published report of FAO on this topic, and stressed the importance of biodiversity to build sustainable food systems. He also noted the alarming trend towards uniformity, the world relying more than ever on monoculture and very few species to feed the world. He recalled that, of some 6000 plant species cultivated for food, less than 200 contributed to global food output, and only 9 accounted for 66% of total crop products. The loss of biodiversity in the food and agriculture sector is placing our food systems under serious threat.

He mentioned FAO’s action at international level and more specifically the FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The Treatycontributes to the achievement of several SDGs, and more particularly SDG 15 (halting the loss of crop biodiversity). It provides a global platform that enables countries to access the plant diversity they need to develop new varieties.

At country level, in China, the largest programme portfolio of FAO revolves around supporting biodiversity conservation in farmland, water, lake, forest, mountain, and wetland ecosystem. This programme is supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

With the 7th GEF replenishment starting in 2018, an Impact Program on Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration is also under development, focusing on biodiversity conservation in agricultural systems. It will have three pillars including:

    - the development of integrated landscape management systems (policies and incentive to maintain diversity of production systems);

    - the implementation and scale up of sustainable food production practices and responsible value chains (sustainable intensified crop production systems implemented for biodiversity, soil and water conservation while maintaining yield  - climate smart agriculture and livestock systems, reduce use of chemicals); and

    - enhanced conservation and restoration of natural habitats in production landscapes.

FAO is committed to this agenda and will continue to work closely with the government of China to build sustainable food systems in support of biodiversity conservation.