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Ensuring Effective Implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity

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DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01375-y

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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01375-y

Ensuring effective implementation of the post-

2020 global biodiversity targets
Haigen Xu   1,6 ✉, Yun Cao1,6, Dandan Yu1,6, Mingchang Cao1, Yuxiao He1, Michael Gill2 and
Henrique M. Pereira   3,4,5

Biodiversity underpins the fundamental elements for human well-being including food security, human health and access to
clean water. In 2010, the Aichi Targets were adopted by world leaders to address the crisis of biodiversity loss. Despite con-
servation efforts, none of the Aichi Targets have been fully met. However, comprehensive analysis of the reasons for failure in
terms of implementation mechanisms is, to date, rare and limited in scope. Here, we demonstrate that most parties did not set
effective national targets in accordance with the Aichi Targets, and investments, knowledge and accountability for biodiver-
sity conservation have been inadequate to enable effective implementation. We recommend that the new global targets under
the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework should be adopted by parties as the minimum national targets to achieve the
2050 Vision. We propose that financial resources for biodiversity conservation are substantially increased through a variety
of sources, including the deployment of new economic instruments such as payments for ecosystem services. In addition, sci-
ence–policy interfaces at all levels need to be strengthened to integrate scientific, Indigenous and local knowledge to support
decision-making. We suggest that a compliance and accountability mechanism, based on monitoring systems, is created to
provide transparent and credible review of parties’ implementation of the new global targets.

T
he extinction of species and degradation of ecosystems con- Here, we analyse the reasons for failure to fully deliver the Aichi
tinues at rates unprecedented in human history1–4. Loss of bio- Targets in terms of national policy responses, financial resources,
diversity influences the functioning of natural ecosystems and science–policy interfaces and review mechanisms. We put forward
imperils human well-being3. To address the biodiversity crisis, global the potential solutions to provide guidelines for the design and
targets have been set to mobilize, guide and coordinate conservation implementation of the post-2020 GBF (Table 1 and Fig. 2).
efforts2. In 2002, world leaders adopted the 2010 Biodiversity Target
through the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to “achieve a Inadequate national policy responses
significant reduction of the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010”1. After The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 and its Aichi Targets
failing to meet the 2010 Target, countries approved the Strategic purposely provide a flexible framework rather than compulsory
Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 and the Aichi Targets5 to motivate commitments for the establishment and implementation of national
effective and urgent actions to halt biodiversity loss in this decade targets5. Owing to the non-binding nature of the Aichi Targets, their
(Fig. 1), thereby contributing to sustainable development, climate coherence with national policies and processes was not sufficiently
adaptation and mitigation, and poverty reduction. considered by parties13. For instance, stipulations on how the Aichi
Despite continued conservation efforts, none of the Aichi Targets Targets are translated and implemented in terms of legislations and
have been fully achieved4,6,7. As in 20101, we are, once again, con- policies were not clear enough14. It has led to the very finite uptake
fronted with the failure in realizing the global biodiversity targets4,6,7. of the Aichi Targets on the national scale15.
In January 2020, the Secretariat of the CBD released the zero draft of NBSAPs are the critical tool to translate the global biodiversity
the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)8, and carried targets into national policies and instruments11. However, the major-
out the first renewal in August9, with the new goals, global targets, ity of national targets in NBSAPs are not well aligned with the Aichi
implementation support mechanisms, enabling conditions, moni- Targets and do not address all of their elements7. As of March 2020,
toring and review mechanisms now being discussed and developed. 167 countries have prepared or revised their NBSAPs. For Aichi
To inform the effective design and implementation of the post-2020 Targets 3, 6, 10 and 14, NBSAPs from countries did not have asso-
GBF, analysis of the reasons for previous failure is crucial. Currently, ciated national targets or commitments. Even where there has been
various studies have attributed the failure to the setting of the Aichi high levels of translation at the national level (for example, for Aichi
Targets itself10, weak National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Targets 1, 9, 16, 17, 19 and 20), only 22% of the NBSAPs have con-
Plans (NBSAPs)11, inadequate financial resources3 and imperfect tained targets that met or exceeded the scope and level of ambition
indicators2,12. However, comprehensive analysis of the reasons for found in these corresponding Aichi Targets16. According to the sub-
failure in terms of the implementation mechanisms is, to date, sequent national reports and regional assessments12,17,18, efforts to
lacking. Without this analysis, the post-2020 GBF implementation embed commitments into legal instruments for effective implementa-
approach may run the risk of repeating some of the mistakes made tion of the Aichi Targets are broadly lacking across countries. In addi-
over the past decade. tion, most NBSAPs have been adopted by environmental ministries

Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, Nanjing, China. 2NatureServe, Arlington, VA, USA. 3German
1

Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 4Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg,
Halle (Saale), Germany. 5CIBIO (Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources)–InBIO (Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary
Biology), Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal. 6These authors contributed equally: Haigen Xu, Yun Cao, DandanYu. ✉e-mail: [email protected]

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Perspective NATure EcoloGy & EVoluTIon

a Post-2020 GBF
IPBES global report
Sixth national reports
GEF-7 replenishment
Action agenda for nature and people
COP review
COP review
IPBES thematic reports
Aichi Targets integrated into SDGs
COP review
GBO 4
Fifth national reports
GEF-6 replenishment
Indicative list of indicators
Strategy for resource mobilization
Japan biodiversity fund
GEF-5 replenishment
GBO 3
Fourth national reports
Develop and update NBSAPs

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020

UN Decade on Biodiversity and update NBSAPs

Adoption of the Aichi Target at COP 10
UN International Year of Biodiversity
COP review
Strategy for resource mobilization
GEF-4 replenishment
2010 Target endorsed by UN general assembly
GBO 2
Third national reports
COP review and temporary indicators
GEF-3 replenishment
2010 target endorsed by world summit on sustainable development
Adoption of 2010 target at COP 6
GBO 1
Second national reports
COP 5’s decision to develop the first strategic plan

b
Review and monitoring
COP
GBO
Subsidiary body on implementation
IPBES, indicators framework
Vision

Supporting Reporting
Mission
GEF National
Strategy for resource mobilization reports
Five strategic Programmes of work
goals Tools and guidelines

20 Aichi Targets

Implementation
Strategic Plan for Parties
Biodiversity 2011–2020 Biodiversity strategies and action
plans, legislation, and enabling
conditions

Fig. 1 | The chronology and current implementation processes of global biodiversity targets. The COP to the CBD is the body that provides the overall
guidance and develops supporting measures for the 196 parties to implement global targets. Parties develop NBSAPs, which can be implemented through
national legislations and other tools. Through regular national reports to the COP, parties identify the measures and describe the implementation of the
CBD and their national targets. a, Chronology. Green dots, supporting measures; blue dots, reporting process; red dots, review process; red squares, global
targets; IPBES, Intergovernmental Science–Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services; GEF, Global Environment Facility; UN, United Nations;
GBO, Global Biodiversity Outlook. b, Current implementation processes.

rather than ‘whole-of-government’ (for example, parliament, cabinet, established under the post-2020 GBF should be considered the
head of government, or an equivalent body). Such low engagement minimum national targets of parties. The setting of new global
and mainstreaming of these plans at the national level, combined targets should primarily consider how they would be worded to
with the lack of a coordinating mechanism, creates a significant bar- ensure consistent interpretation, timely translation into national
rier to implementation of the global targets on the national scale19. It targets and legal instruments, effective implementation and accu-
further creates the obstacle to the engagement of key sectors whose rate tracking of progress at the national level. The Paris Agreement
actions are often the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss. provides a coherent set of features that combines a top-down and
bottom-up approach as well as legally binding and non-binding
Recommendation 1. Each party is obligated to implement all elements20. This agreement encompasses several long-term global
new global targets that are relevant to the party. The global targets goals for which parties are authorized to propose their own

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NATure EcoloGy & EVoluTIon Perspective
Table 1 | Deficiencies in current implementation of the Aichi Targets and recommendations for more effective implementation of the
post-2020 GBF
Challenges Limitations Recommendations
1. Inadequate national The majority of national targets in NBSAPs across The global targets established under the post-2020 GBF are the
policy responses different countries are not well aligned with the Aichi minimum national targets of parties (Fig. 2). Each party is obligated
Targets. to implement all new global targets that are relevant to them. The
Efforts to embed commitments into legal and policy minimum national targets are the most basic requirements for
instruments for effective implementation of the Aichi parties to achieve the 2050 Vision and obligations of the CBD.
Targets are broadly lacking across countries. Parties, subnational governments, corporations and stakeholders
present voluntary commitments to enhance the ambition of the
post-2020 GBF and account for their different circumstances.
2. Funding shortages Biodiversity financial resources have been inadequate Biodiversity financial resources are mobilized for a substantial
at all levels. increase from all sources.
Biodiversity-related economic instruments can be developed
including payments for ecosystem services, biodiversity-relevant
taxes, fees and charges.
3. Science–policy Knowledge gaps exist in social sciences and Science–policy interfaces at different levels are strengthened to
knowledge gaps transdisciplinary research, and in the integration of integrate scientific, Indigenous and local knowledge to support
scientific, Indigenous and local knowledge, limiting decision-making.
the understanding of the conditions, synergies and More scientific and suitable indicators are studied and created to
trade-offs among conservation efforts. measure national and global biodiversity targets.
Lack of existing indicators hinders measuring and
tracking progress towards the Aichi Targets.
4. Imperfect review The performance of specific parties’ implementation A compliance and accountability mechanism is created to review
mechanisms of obligations under the CBD and the global targets is specific parties’ implementation of the post-2020 GBF based on
rarely reviewed by the COP. standardized monitoring systems.
The review mechanism is also established for voluntary
commitments from different non-state actors to record their
contribution to biodiversity targets.

nationally determined contributions. Learning from the Paris developing countries. Such a process would encourage parties to
Agreement’s architecture, the post-2020 GBF could be discussed increase their ambition, because the level of support depends on the
in an adaptive manner: ambition of national commitments.
First, all parties make their ambitious national commitments Third, parties and non-state actors discuss the post-2020 GBF
based on the key elements (and numbers or percentages) of the at the upcoming meetings of the Open-ended Working Group on
goals and targets of the draft post-2020 GBF (Supplementary Table the Post-2020 GBF. The national commitments can and should be
1) and tailored to their unique national circumstances21,22, and pres- employed as a basis to shape the common global targets. To agree
ent the baselines of their biodiversity and conservation status. The on the common goals, global targets should be worded in an inclu-
following two criteria are observed: (1) the national commitments sive manner to accommodate unique national circumstances to
should be well aligned with the 2050 Vision, goals, mission and key ensure that each target is relevant to and obligatory for each party
elements of the 20 targets contained in the draft post-2020 GBF, (see example in Box 1). We call such global targets the minimum
and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)8; and (2) the national targets. The minimum national targets are the most basic
national commitments are made to address the need to stabilize bio- requirements for parties to undertake obligations of the CBD in
diversity loss in the next 10 years and stimulate recovery over the terms of policies, resource mobilization, conservation, restoration,
following 20 years, with significant net gains in biodiversity status sustainable use, knowledge, information sharing, public engage-
by 2050 to achieve the 2050 Vision8. Definitions and standards for ment, monitoring and reporting, contributing to the achievement
national commitments need to be designed to ensure consistency of the 2050 Vision.
and feasible scaling-up of the contributions for the global targets23. Such an approach would ensure minimum standards for ambi-
The national commitments serve to catalyse relevant and effective tion to guarantee that the action-oriented targets at the national
biodiversity movements on many scales, enhance political will and level are sufficient to halt biodiversity loss and enable some level
ambition, and promote accelerated transformations across eco- of recovery. In this way, the essential elements of the global targets
nomic, social, political and technological dimensions, to fulfil obli- can be promptly translated into national targets and time lags can
gations of the CBD and the 2050 Vision. be reduced between the points when new global targets are adopted
Second, the national commitments are reviewed by the and national targets established7.
Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice It would be ideal for the post-2020 GBF to be legally binding as
and the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 GBF, based a separate agreement. However, establishing a legally binding agree-
on the best available science and evidence22. If the national commit- ment would take time to negotiate (for instance, it took four years
ments are not ambitious enough or not well aligned with the draft to reach the Paris Agreement20) and is unachievable in less than one
post-2020 GBF and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, year. Therefore, we recommend that the global targets established
they will need to be updated by the party. Incentives such as finan- under the post-2020 GBF are obligatory for each party (Fig. 2). We
cial and technical support could be provided for countries that found that the core elements except the numbers or percentages in
present higher commitments24. For example, financial resources the goals and 20 global targets of the draft post-2020 GBF are in line
are allocated from the Global Environment Facility to qualified with many of the articles of the CBD (Supplementary Table 1). So

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Parties

Implementation

Minimum
national targets

e z
bili
Mo
Vision

Targets
Non-governmental Non-governmental
stakeholders Indicators stakeholders
Enabling conditions
Development Review

COP Post-2020 GBF COP

and new global targets

Galvanize

Fig. 2 | Enhanced implementation of global biodiversity targets. Parties to the CBD will adopt the post-2020 GBF and new global targets at the Fifteenth
meeting of the COP. The new global targets should be adopted as the minimum national targets of parties. Parties will implement the post-2020 GBF
and report their progress to the COP. The COP will review on specific parties’ implementation of the post-2020 GBF based on monitoring indicators
and systems. Non-governmental stakeholders will galvanize the development and review of the post-2020 GBF, and participate in its implementation.
Supporting and mainstreaming measures will be created, including strategies and policies, financial resources, science–policy interface, awareness-raising
activities and training courses.

there is great potential for agreement on obligatory global targets stimulate broad implementation of various sectors and stakehold-
by parties. ers for biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use27. Voluntary
Legally binding international biodiversity-related agreements commitments from governments, Indigenous peoples, local com-
are likely to improve the level of implementation across nations. The munities, civil society organizations and the private sector can
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna facilitate and accelerate positive political and societal momentum
and Flora (CITES) contains a number of legally binding provisions. in conservation worldwide20,28. Voluntary commitments from par-
Parties to CITES are obliged to implement their national legisla- ties are encouraged, but must go beyond obligations under the CBD
tions to ensure that trade in protected species is legal, sustainable and existing national policies and actions. Parties can make volun-
and traceable. By 2018, 55% of 183 parties had met all the regulation tary commitments beyond the new global targets based on their
requirements established by CITES25. The Agreement on Port State national priorities, capabilities and conservation status (see example
Measures has been constructed as the first binding international in Box 1)22. Voluntary commitments from non-government actors
agreement specifically directed against illegal, unreported and bear great extra potential to make transformative changes. They
unregulated fishing. This international framework aims to assist can launch new partnerships and initiatives to mobilize commit-
parties in fulfilling their responsibilities to conserve and use fish ments and resources for biodiversity conservation (for example,
stocks in a sustainable way. By 2018, 49% of parties had achieved full with respect to sustainable production and consumption pathways)
implementation of the agreement26. Evidence shows that the levels across diverse sectors and actor groups23.
of implementation of CITES (55%) and the Agreement on Port State Under the global biodiversity agenda, the existing registry plat-
Measures (49%) are higher than that of the Aichi Targets of the CBD form for voluntary commitments can act as a strong starting point
(less than 22%) in terms of the number of countries implementing to foster a polycentric and innovative governance for channelling
relevant agreements. This may be the result of the legally binding effective actions towards biodiversity conservation. Potential chal-
nature and more narrow focus of both CITES and the Agreement lenges relate to the difficulty of establishing common definitions,
on Port State Measures. standards and baselines to facilitate the submission and analysis
of effective and coordinated voluntary commitments27. A unified
Recommendation 2. Parties, subnational governments, corpora- and integrated global registry can act as a key component for vol-
tions and stakeholders present voluntary commitments to enhance untary commitments from non-government actors, and national
the ambition of the post-2020 GBF and account for their different and subnational governments, and offer the necessary information
circumstances. Biodiversity commitments developed on a voluntary on who, where and how to take action27. Such an approach would
basis have become a well-recognized mechanism to expedite the direct action to areas and issues that are in greatest need for action.
implementation of international environmental policy23,27. At the Learning from the governance of global climate27 and ocean23, the
14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the CBD in CBD could consider the creation of opportunities for non-state
November 2018, the Sharm El Sheikh to Beijing (now changed into actors to take part in such steps of technical examinations and show-
‘Kunming’) Action Agenda for Nature and People was initiated to casing their pledges20. To guarantee the effective implementation of

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Box 1 | Example of protected area target

Inadequate national policy responses. Protected areas are es- importance for biodiversity through a well-connected and
sential to conserve nature and reverse the loss of biodiversity61. effective system of protected areas and other effective area-based
As of July 2018, terrestrial protected areas accounted for 14.9% of conservation measures, by 2030 protecting a higher percentage
the Earth’s land surface, and marine protected areas reached 7.3% of its national territory such as 30% (or even 40%). Voluntary
of the world’s oceans and 16.8% of national waters62, which is on commitments can also be made by non-government actors.
track to reach the Aichi Targets of 17% coverage of protected areas Insufficient financial resources. A sum of US$76.1 billion
on land and 10% on marine and coastal waters4. However, up to annually was estimated to be needed to protect and effectively
2018, 73 countries reported at least 3,749 downgrading, downsiz- manage all terrestrial sites of global conservation significance32.
ing and degazettement events, which detached 519,857 km2 from It indicates that conservation funding should be augmented by
protection and tempered regulations in an additional 1,659,972 at least an order of magnitude32,33. Thus, financial resources for
km2 (ref. 63). Furthermore, the existing global protected area net- protected areas should be mobilized for a substantial increase
work is inadequate to conserve biodiversity64. For instance, 85% from governments at all levels, the private sector and other
of threatened terrestrial vertebrates are not sufficiently covered stakeholders, thereby generating significant social, economic and
in protected areas, which are biased towards locations of limited ecological benefits70.
economic value but away from biodiversity important areas65; Science–policy knowledge gaps. Scientific, Indigenous and
91% of migratory bird species do not host adequate protected area local knowledge on sites of particular importance for biodiversity
coverage, which requires the inclusion of at least one part of their are not systematically integrated for protected area policymaking44,
annual cycle66; and 97.4% of 17,348 marine species had less than and such sites are not fully documented68. Connectivity and
10% of their ranges represented in stricter protected area catego- management effectiveness are essential elements of protected area
ries67. Overall, more than half of all ecosystems on land and sea networks71,72 and yet are not effectively measured and monitored.
have not gained adequate protection64. There is a need to docu- Some metrics have been developed to measure connectivity
ment and protect all sites of particular importance for biodiver- at the global level72, but the principles of connectivity are not
sity68, and effectively conserve at least 30% of the Earth’s surface incorporated into institutional and legal frameworks62. It is hard
by 203040,69. to track progress on the management effectiveness of protected
Target 2 of the update of the zero draft of the post-2020 GBF areas owing to the lack of harmonized tools and consistent data62.
is9: “By 2030, protect and conserve through well connected and Therefore, more efforts are required to improve our knowledge of
effective system of protected areas and other effective area-based the linkages between management and biodiversity outcomes62,
conservation measures at least 30 per cent of the planet with the and enhance the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool71.
focus on areas particularly important for biodiversity.” First, the Imperfect review mechanisms. Protected area monitoring
global target should be worded such that it is obligatory for all programmes often suffer from varying measurements, insufficient
parties, similar to the text of the CBD articles in which “each taxonomic and spatial coverage, and the lack of funding73–75. There
contracting party” is their subject. The global target (minimum is a need to coordinate and strengthen a standardized compliance
national target) could thus be worded as follows: Each contracting monitoring system of protected areas75–77 and enhance the
party shall document and protect all sites of particular importance completeness and accuracy of the World Database on Protected
for biodiversity through a well-connected and effective system Areas62,78. The COP to the CBD reviews the progress towards
of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation Aichi Target 11 at the global level, but rarely on a specific party’s
measures68. The protected area percentage depends on the ratio performance of the target15. Hence, a robust review mechanism
of the area of all documented sites of particular importance for should be urgently established to promote governments, academia,
biodiversity to the party’s territory, and it might vary with the Indigenous peoples and civil society organizations in the review
condition of parties. Therefore, there are no percentages in the of individual parties’ performance on protected areas in order to
proposed global target. Second, the voluntary commitment of encourage effective national contributions towards a target for
one party might be: Document and protect all sites of particular protected areas15.

such commitments across heterogeneous initiatives and actions, the volume required to avoid extinctions and recover threatened spe-
global registry would provide unified definitions, quality criteria cies31. In addition, a comprehensive habitat conservation network
and baselines, for pledge registration and progress evaluation23,27. for the United States would cost US$5.4–7.7 billion per year, while
actual spending was estimated at US$3.2 billion30. The challenges
Insufficient financial resources with regard to adequate conservation financing are even greater in
Global inadequacy of funding has been considered a major hurdle developing countries, many of which are heavily reliant on interna-
to achieving effective biodiversity conservation29. Despite the expe- tional aid. Although official development assistance for biodiversity
dited mobilization of financial resources, the amount of increase shows an increasing trend during 2002–2017 (Supplementary Fig.
is so far insufficient to meet the needs of the Aichi Targets2,3,7. 1), the small increase in biodiversity aid has been insufficient rela-
According to the report of the High-Level Panel on Global tive to estimates of conservation costs on the national scale3,32,33.
Assessment of Resources for Implementing the Strategic Plan for
Biodiversity 2011–2020, US$150–440 billion per year was esti- Recommendation. Biodiversity financial resources are mobilized
mated to be required globally to meet the Aichi Targets by 202030. for a substantial increase from all sources. To reverse the ongoing
However, total spending on conservation worldwide was estimated biodiversity loss, adequate financial resources are essential to the
at US$51–53 billion annually30. At the national level, such insuf- successful implementation of the post-2020 GBF34. According to
ficiency in funding is common both in developed countries and the CBD’s latest report, the lower annual estimate of US$103–178
developing countries. For instance, the annual spending on targeted billion to the higher annual estimate of US$613–895 billion across
threatened species recovery by Australian governments is around the world is needed in support of the framework34. Parties should
US$92 million, which accounts for only 15% of the total financing make tangible financial plans for policy innovation, conservation

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Perspective NATure EcoloGy & EVoluTIon

networks and capacity building to diversify funding mechanisms such as epistemological differences between knowledge systems48,
and enhance policy sustainability. To ensure that biodiversity is bet- low academic recognition of Indigenous and local knowledge49, and
ter reflected across different sectors, we recommend the compre- issues of scale and power50. To date, less than half of the parties to the
hensive integration of biodiversity values into investment strategies CBD have reported information on management practices of wild
and development plans7. National and subnational governments populations and near-natural ecosystems based on the Indigenous
could increase public funding for conservation and restoration of and local knowledge44. Further, the value of Indigenous and local
biodiversity34. Moreover, governments could help align funding knowledge is not fully identified and incorporated into the for-
from the private sector towards biodiversity-friendly investment35 mulation of management plans6. It is evident that such Indigenous
that is further backed up by the democratic and transparent gov- and local knowledge gaps have limited the full involvement of
ernance systems11. Biodiversity-related economic instruments Indigenous peoples and local communities in the implementation
can be developed including payments for ecosystem services, of innovative strategies for meeting the global biodiversity targets.
biodiversity-relevant taxes, fees and charges35. For instance, one
study36 suggested that countries hosting tropical forests could ben- Recommendation. Science–policy interfaces at different levels are
efit from funds generated via a tropical carbon tax to fill the invest- strengthened to address priority knowledge gaps that integrate sci-
ment gap for biodiversity in South and Central America, Africa, entific, Indigenous and local knowledge to inform more targeted and
Asia and the Pacific. Official development assistance is an impor- effective actions for achieving the post-2020 GBF. Through these
tant financial resource for biodiversity conservation in developing interfaces, multidisciplinary researchers could work together to
countries. However, direct support to achieve global biodiversity explore the key social–ecological issues that can direct targeted and
targets accounts for a small proportion of official development effective actions towards the achievement of the post-2020 GBF and
assistance37. It is also necessary to propel mainstreaming into other SDGs. Owing to the complex and multi-scalar nature of key knowl-
sectors and guidelines on impact assessments for biodiversity ben- edge gaps, it is conducive to carry out more intensive research on driv-
efits38. The Paris Agreement has initiated the Green Climate Fund, ers of change and on the interaction of direct and indirect drivers that
under which developed countries have committed to providing the influence biodiversity on numerous scales42,51. Moreover, future sce-
climate finance of US$100 billion a year for developing countries by narios and pathways can be explored on different scales to find ways
2020 and have extended this pledge to 202539. Similarly, the CBD and means for directing conservation decision-making on the right
can negotiate the establishment of a global fund for biodiversity, and course of halting biodiversity loss52. Furthermore, uniform, compre-
integrate it with the Green Climate Fund to leverage nature-based hensive, scalable and science-based indicators are also required to
solutions that meet the objectives of both global agreements39,40. dynamically measure progress towards the post-2020 GBF12,53.
Improved reporting and tracking on the use of biodiversity-relevant We also propose improved integration of scientific, Indigenous
funding is also important for assessing the effectiveness of policy and local knowledge under science–policy interfaces at differ-
responses and preventing corruption35. ent levels to support decision-making44,46,54. During the course of
knowledge co-production, the distinctiveness and epistemology of
The prevalence of science–policy knowledge gaps Indigenous and local knowledge must be explicitly recognized55,56.
Comprehensive analyses of recent assessments of four major regions Such knowledge co-production for biodiversity can galvanize
and three key themes by the Intergovernmental Science–Policy urgent and transformative action from the whole of society includ-
Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services demonstrate that ing Indigenous peoples and local communities6. Meanwhile, insti-
progress towards achieving the Aichi Targets and SDGs is hampered tutional structures and capacity are required for such knowledge
by knowledge gaps41,42. Despite a substantial growth during the few integration and co-production from local to global scales46.
past years, significant knowledge gaps still exist in the science and
policy interface on biodiversity43, such as the feedbacks between Imperfect review mechanisms
social and ecological systems, and the effects of governance and Review mechanisms work as valuable processes to provide consis-
institutional systems on nature and nature’s contributions to peo- tent and transparent tracking of implementation and thereby make
ple6,42,43. The deficiency of policy-relevant knowledge unveils very countries accountable for their enforcement of international envi-
limited understanding of the complexities of human societies and ronmental agreements15. In particular, consistently applied review
their consequences for biodiversity, particularly in relation to gov- mechanisms to evaluate parties’ individual performance within the
ernance, equity, social heterogeneity and resource access, and their CBD are missing15,57. It is hard to associate pledged national com-
relationships to biodiversity conservation42. These knowledge defi- mitments with actual implementation without transparent and
ciencies have limited our ability to generate informed global and rigorous review systems15,23. National reporting was adopted as the
national guidelines to ensure effective implementation of the global building block to evaluate national performance and overall prog-
biodiversity targets. ress towards global targets15. However, the reviews by the COP
The establishment of national targets for the parties to the CBD have largely provided summaries of global implementation trends
requires indicators to facilitate and guide informed, step-wise rather than parties’ individual performance15,57. It suggests a seri-
actions for achieving the targets and continually evaluate implemen- ous defect of the accountability framework in the CBD that it does
tation progress. Although a series of global biodiversity indicators not empower account-giving by (or account-holding of) individual
have been established and operationalized2, available indicators are parties15.
often insufficiently reliable for application at the national level3,12. In The voluntary peer review mechanism denotes a step forward
fact, many Aichi Targets are ineffectively gauged on any scale due towards building a more robust review system for a specific party15.
to the lack of existing indicators to measure and track progress6,41. However, compared with the review mechanism under the com-
Such scientific knowledge gaps have undermined the parties’ ability pulsory Measurement, Reporting and Verification system from the
to conduct national biodiversity assessments and regulate policies United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the
for more effective implementation6. voluntary peer review process is still in its infancy and is likely to
Indigenous and local knowledge has increasingly gained recog- be insufficient15. It is difficult to effectively put CBD goals and tar-
nition as an important contribution to effective biodiversity con- gets into practice at the national level due to the lack of compliance
servation and sustainable use44. However, little progress has been mechanisms, explicit assignment of responsibilities, and guidance
reported on the integration of Indigenous and local knowledge into with regard to how to consistently translate and track global targets
implementation of biodiversity targets45–47, due to multiple barriers on the national scale12.

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NATure EcoloGy & EVoluTIon Perspective
Recommendation. A compliance and accountability mechanism is Received: 28 February 2020; Accepted: 3 December 2020;
created to review specific parties’ implementation of the post-2020 Published: xx xx xxxx
GBF based on monitoring indicators and systems. To learn whether
commitments from the whole of society will produce the desired References
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Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
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at the Convention on Biological Diversity. Yearb. Int. Environ. Law 21, 3–40 Peer review information Nature Ecology & Evolution thanks Benis N. Egoh, Martine
(2011). Maron and Melodie McGeoch for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
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Science 368, 1193–1195 (2020). © Springer Nature Limited 2021

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Corresponding author(s): Haigen Xu ([email protected])
Last updated by author(s): Nov 30, 2020

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