Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment of China and president of the COP15, responds to a question as Canadian Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault looks on during the closing news conference at the COP15 UN conference on biodiversity in Montreal, on Tuesday, December 20, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
OTTAWA – Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says the COP15 biodiversity framework reached Monday in Montreal was possible because Canada and China were able to set aside their diplomatic differences to co-lead the negotiations.
The framework itself will bind the two countries together because it is named after the cities in China and Canada where it was negotiated.
The Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework is being lauded by governments and nature experts as a historic deal meant to turn the tide on the devastating impacts people are having on wildlife and critical ecosystems.
Heading into the talks, there were concerns about the joint hosting efforts of China and Canada given the ongoing tensions between the two national governments.
China is officially the president of COP15 but the final discussions were moved to Montreal from Kunming because of ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
China’s environment minister, Huang Runqiu, says the countries have a long history of environmental partnerships and he is hopeful it will improve and accelerate further co-operation in other areas.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20, 2022.
