UN Biodiversity Conference: Saudi Arabia at the Forefront of Countries Fulfilling Its Commitment to Publish National Goals

The preparatory meetings for the United Nations Biodiversity Conference 2024 in Colombia announced that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is among the first countries to fulfill its commitment to develop and publish its 22 national biodiversity targets, which align with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This was highlighted during the review of the Kingdom's report at the preparatory meetings. The progress follows the organization of a national workshop by the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), which serves as the national focal point for the UN Biodiversity Convention, to meet the convention's requirements. The workshop involved relevant national entities and is part of the comprehensive national biodiversity framework currently being finalized, with completion expected by 2025. The national targets include the development and activation of participatory national frameworks for the conservation and sustainable management of important biodiversity areas to minimize the loss of these regions. They also aim for 30% of the total area of degraded ecosystems to be subject to effective restoration and rehabilitation programs by 2030. Additionally, the targets seek to protect 30% of the total area of terrestrial, freshwater, marine, and coastal ecosystems, ensuring the effective management of an integrated and interconnected network of protected areas. By 2030, effective area-based conservation measures will be implemented alongside efforts to reduce threat levels to known endangered species and minimize negative impacts on these species. Source: Saudi Press Agency