"New Global Nature Pact Hangs In Balance As 'World Burns'"

"About 195 countries are set to finalise a deal this year to halt human damage to plants, animals and ecosystems".

"KUALA LUMPUR - Despite being two years behind schedule due to the pandemic, talks between governments aimed at brokering a new global pact to protect nature made little concrete progress in the past two weeks, with green groups urging political leaders to wade in.

About 195 countries are set to finalise an accord to stem human damage to plants, animals and ecosystems - similar to the Paris climate agreement - at a U.N. summit, known as COP15, due to be held in the third quarter of this year in Kunming, China.

Postponed several times due to the difficulties of meeting face to face during the coronavirus pandemic, the first in-person talks in two years on the agreement and ways to put it into practice took place in Geneva from March 13-29.

"Delegates ... ended up without consensus on the majority of issues," said Susan Lieberman, vice president of international policy at the Wildlife Conservation Society."

Michael Taylor reports for Thomson Reuters Foundation March 30, 2022.

Source: Thomson Reuters Fdn., 04/01/2022