For an effective implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework: what is needed at CBD COP15 and beyond

The policy brief argues that the failure of the Aichi targets was partly due to fragile transparency and accountability processes. To avoid this with the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF), the authors propose an "Enhanced Implementation Cycle" consisting of five interconnected stages: national planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting, review, and stepping up ambition. Key recommendations include the adoption of standardized templates for National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs), the creation of National Biodiversity Finance Plans (NBFPs), and the introduction of mandatory technical expert reviews of national reports to provide tailored advice to Parties. The brief emphasizes the need for a "global biodiversity stocktake" to identify implementation gaps and a "ratcheting up" process to ensure that subsequent national targets and COP decisions are progressively more ambitious.

• The authors propose an "Enhanced Implementation Cycle" to replace fragile existing processes, focusing on a cyclical process of planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting, review, and increasing ambition to avoid the failures seen with the Aichi targets.
• Effective national planning for the GBF requires the adoption of standardized templates for NBSAPs and national targets at COP15 to ensure comparability and alignment with global goals, as previous NBSAPs lacked standardized formatting.
• To bridge the gap between planning and delivery, the brief recommends that Parties develop National Biodiversity Finance Plans (NBFPs) to identify specific financial needs, resources, and gaps for each national target.
• The document argues for a shift in resource mobilization toward the "alignment of all financial flows," ensuring that funding in other sectors does not compromise biodiversity goals and that harmful subsidies are redirected.
• To reduce administrative burdens and improve accuracy, the brief recommends synchronizing CBD reporting cycles with other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and the UNFCCC Paris Agreement's biennial transparency reports.
• The authors advocate for the introduction of a mandatory technical expert review of NBSAPs and national reports, as the current Voluntary Peer-Review (VPR) process is underused and lacks technical verification.
• A two-fold global review process is recommended: a collective assessment of ambition based on national targets and a "global biodiversity stocktake" to identify implementation gaps and inform the "stepping up" of action.
• The brief proposes a "ratcheting up" mechanism where all subsequent COP decisions and NBSAPs must be progressively more ambitious than their predecessors, mirroring the principle of progression in the Paris Agreement.

APA

Landry, J., Agapakis, I., Wemaëre, M., & Rochette, J. (2022). For an effective implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework: what is needed at CBD COP15 and beyond. ClientEarth. https://www.clientearth.org/media/sapnydbh/policy-briefing_effective-implementation-of-gbf_what-is-needed-at-cop15_nov-2022_1.pdf

Chicago

Landry, Juliette, Ioannis Agapakis, Matthieu Wemaëre, and Julien Rochette. For an effective implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework: what is needed at CBD COP15 and beyond. ClientEarth, 2022. https://www.clientearth.org/media/sapnydbh/policy-briefing_effective-implementation-of-gbf_what-is-needed-at-cop15_nov-2022_1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Landry |first1=Juliette |last2=Agapakis |first2=Ioannis |last3=Wemaëre |first3=Matthieu |last4=Rochette |first4=Julien |title=For an effective implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework: what is needed at CBD COP15 and beyond |publisher=ClientEarth |date=November 2022 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/sapnydbh/policy-briefing_effective-implementation-of-gbf_what-is-needed-at-cop15_nov-2022_1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{landry2022effective, author = {Landry, Juliette and Agapakis, Ioannis and Wemaëre, Matthieu and Rochette, Julien}, title = {{For an effective implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework: what is needed at CBD COP15 and beyond}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/sapnydbh/policy-briefing_effective-implementation-of-gbf_what-is-needed-at-cop15_nov-2022_1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }