UN Convention on Biological Diversity

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:

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 2019-2030

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 national biodiversity strategy and action plan was last updated in 2019 in preparation for the new Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Australia’s Strategy for Nature 2019-2030 was developed jointly by the Australian Government, all state and territory governments, and the Australian Local Government Association.

With the Kunming-Montreal Framework now adopted, Australia’s focus has shifted to the domestic implementation of the framework including updating the national biodiversity strategy and action plan.

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: