The 14th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity will call on decision makers from more than 190 countries to step up efforts to halt the biodiversity loss and protect the ecosystems that support food and water security and health for billions of people.
The Conference of the Parties is the governing body of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which entered into force on 29 December 1993. The Convention has 3 main objectives:
1. The conservation of biological diversity
2. The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity
3. The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources
The Conference of the Parties aims to advance implementation of the Convention through the decisions it takes at its periodic meetings.
A number of official parallel events, including the Global Biodiversity Summit of Local & Subnational Governments, will run allongside the Conference.
To find out more visit the Convention on Biological Diversity website.