What the Global Biodiversity Framework says about the conservation of ecosystems and species

The document evaluates the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), noting that while Target 4 supports preventing species extinction and Target 3 emphasizes quality in conserved areas, the framework is undermined by the implicit enablement of offsetting. The author argues that the GBF lacks clear prohibitions on destructive activities like deep-sea mining and fails to adequately link conservation to industrial drivers of biodiversity loss. It suggests that civil society can use the GBF's targets on restoration and governance to hold governments accountable.

• The Global Biodiversity Framework includes positive measures such as Target 4, which requires governments to take action to reduce the risk of species extinction and maintain genetic variety, including 'in situ' conservation where species are kept healthy in their natural habitats.
• The document argues that the GBF implicitly enables 'offsetting'—the practice of compensating for nature destruction through restoration—which is described as harmful, ineffective, and a failure to address root causes like corporate power and Indigenous rights.
• Specific targets in the GBF present mixed outcomes: Target 1 aims for near-zero loss of high-biodiversity areas by 2030 but may allow offsets through spatial planning; Target 2 mandates 30% restoration of degraded areas by 2030 but lacks a clear definition of 'degraded'; and Target 3 focuses on effective conservation but risks creating a divide where 70% of nature is open to destruction.
• The GBF is criticized for missing explicit bans on high-impact activities such as fracking, deep-sea mining, arctic drilling, and mountaintop removal mining, and for failing to acknowledge the role of industrial agriculture and fossil fuel extraction in biodiversity loss.

APA

Marien, N., Fandel, G., & Prak, C. (2024). What the Global Biodiversity Framework says about the conservation of ecosystems and species. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/GBF-Factsheet-Conservation.pdf

Chicago

Marien, Nele, Ghislaine Fandel, and Caroline Prak. What the Global Biodiversity Framework says about the conservation of ecosystems and species. Friends of the Earth International, 2024. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/GBF-Factsheet-Conservation.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Marien |first1=Nele |last2=Fandel |first2=Ghislaine |last3=Prak |first3=Caroline |title=What the Global Biodiversity Framework says about the conservation of ecosystems and species |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=March 2024 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/GBF-Factsheet-Conservation.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{marien2024what, author = {Marien, Nele and Fandel, Ghislaine and Prak, Caroline}, title = {{What the Global Biodiversity Framework says about the conservation of ecosystems and species}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2024}, month = mar, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/GBF-Factsheet-Conservation.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }