Biodiversity is fundamental to human well-being, planetary health, and economic prosperity around the world. Yet, it is facing an unprecedented crisis: nearly one million species are at risk of extinction. The current extinction rate is already tens to hundreds of times greater than the average over the past ten million years—and this rate is accelerating.
In response to this urgent situation, the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted on December 19, 2022, during the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. This landmark agreement aims to halt the alarming loss of biodiversity and drive global efforts to restore nature.
The Framework includes four long-term goals to achieve the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity, alongside twenty-three specific global targets set for achievement by 2030. These ambitious targets are grouped under three key themes: (1) reducing threats to biodiversity (Targets 1-8); (2) meeting people’s needs through sustainable use and equitable benefit sharing (Targets 9-13); and (3) tools and solutions for implementation and mainstreaming (Targets 14-23).
Here is the TARGET 10:
“Ensure that areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry are managed sustainably, in particular through the sustainable use of biodiversity, including through a substantial increase of the application of biodiversity friendly practices, such as sustainable intensification, agroecological and other innovative approaches, contributing to the resilience and long-term efficiency and productivity of these production systems, and to food security, conserving and restoring biodiversity and maintaining nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services.”
Target 10 recognises the critical role that productive sectors—namely agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry—play in both the degradation and conservation of biodiversity. By focusing on sustainable management, the target calls for a transformation in how these sectors operate, encouraging a shift from practices that harm ecosystems to those that actively support the health and resilience of nature. This includes adopting biodiversity-friendly methods such as agroecology, which integrates ecological principles into farm management, and sustainable intensification, which aims to increase productivity without expanding into new habitats or overexploiting natural resources.
Implementing Target 10 is essential not only for conserving species and habitats but also for securing long-term food security and livelihoods. Sustainable practices help maintain ecosystem services—such as pollination, soil fertility, pest control, and water regulation—that underpin agricultural productivity and community well-being. Additionally, by restoring degraded lands and promoting resilience in production systems, these measures can help buffer communities against the impacts of climate change, such as droughts, floods, and shifting weather patterns.
Success in achieving Target 10 will depend on collaboration among governments, industry stakeholders, local communities, and Indigenous Peoples. It will require policy reforms, financial incentives, investment in research and innovation, and capacity building for producers and land managers. Monitoring and reporting progress will also be crucial to ensure that interventions are effective and adaptive to changing conditions.
Ultimately, the fulfilment of Target 10 will contribute not only to halting biodiversity loss but also to building a more sustainable and equitable future—where productive landscapes are managed in harmony with nature, and the benefits of biodiversity are shared by all.
