"Chair of U.N. Biodiversity Talks Expects Agreement On Key Target"

"GENEVA - A chair of the U.N. biodiversity negotiations underway in Switzerland told Reuters on Tuesday he expects agreement on a key target on raising protected areas, adding he saw support from the talks' presidency, China, for the first time.

With around 1 million plant and animal species threatened with extinction, some 1,000 negotiators from 164 countries are meeting in Geneva this week to thrash out a framework that has the potential to be the biodiversity equivalent of the Paris climate change deal. Among the 21 targets is one that aims to conserve 30% of land and sea areas globally.

Basile van Havre, one of two co-chairs of the talks, said he was "confident" countries would agree to the target, but expected more intense negotiations on securing ocean areas."

Emma Farge reports for Reuters March 22, 2022.

Source: Reuters, 03/23/2022