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 13:
“Take effective legal, policy, administrative and capacity-building measures at all levels, as appropriate, to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits that arise from the utilization of genetic resources and from digital sequence information on genetic resources, as well as traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, and facilitating appropriate access to genetic resources, and by 2030, facilitating a significant increase of the benefits shared, in accordance with applicable international access and benefit-sharing instruments.”
Target 13 of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework addresses a critical aspect of biodiversity governance: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from genetic resources. This target recognises that genetic resources—including plants, animals, and microorganisms—hold immense value for sectors such as agriculture, medicine, biotechnology, and food security. The benefits from their utilisation, as well as from digital sequence information and traditional knowledge associated with these resources, should be accessible to all stakeholders, especially indigenous peoples and local communities who have historically safeguarded and utilised this biodiversity.
To achieve this, Target 13 calls for countries and relevant actors to implement robust legal and policy frameworks, build institutional capacities, and ensure administrative processes are in place. These measures are intended to uphold the principles of transparency, fairness, and equity in access and benefit-sharing (ABS) arrangements. In practical terms, this may include developing or updating national ABS legislation, establishing benefit-sharing funds, and facilitating meaningful participation of knowledge holders in decision-making processes.
Moreover, Target 13 places emphasis on digital sequence information (DSI), reflecting the growing importance of genetic data in research, innovation, and commercial applications. Addressing DSI in ABS frameworks is essential for closing potential loopholes and ensuring that benefits are not limited to physical resources but also extend to digital derivatives. Facilitating appropriate access to genetic resources, while simultaneously ensuring a significant increase in the benefits shared by 2030, is expected to contribute to global equity, support sustainable development, and foster trust among countries and communities.
The successful implementation of Target 13 will not only help protect biodiversity but also promote social justice, respect for traditional knowledge, and international cooperation. It is a pivotal step toward ensuring that the rewards from the world’s biological wealth are shared fairly, supporting both conservation and human well-being.
