China’s role in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

This policy insight explores China’s role in promoting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). While the nation’s domestic policies and progress in biodiversity conservation, as well as its influence in global climate action, have been widely explored, its potential for supporting global efforts in the fight against biodiversity loss has so far been neglected. With the trend towards biodiversity loss and its impacts intensifying, at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (Biodiversity COP15) in Montreal, Canada, in 2022, the international community reached consensus on halting and reversing nature loss by 2030 under the GBF. However, national commitments and actions since then have fallen far short of halting the crisis, and growing geopolitical fragmentation, weakening multilateral cooperation and recent setbacks in international environmental governance have further widened this gap. Within this global landscape, China is emerging as a ‘great power’ in biodiversity. With its vast territory, China houses a rich array of species and ecosystems. Through its overseas infrastructure projects and investments, as well as its large demand for natural resources from abroad, China’s influence on biodiversity reaches far beyond its borders. Since adopting the GBF, China has actively translated the global commitments into national action and has achieved outstanding tangible outcomes. As the presidency of Biodiversity COP15 and subsequently, China has demonstrated a strong capacity in shaping global environmental politics, from initiating agendas and coordinating efforts to building consensus and promoting action. As the world fears another decade of failure on biodiversity and urgently seeks leadership to advance the GBF, China stands in a position to take a lead on and further enhance its influence in international environmental governance.