'Paris moment': COP15 conference in Montreal seeks hard targets on biodiversity
CTV
Nearly 200 countries are hoping to halt a decline in global biodiversity at this week's Convention on Biological Diversity meetings. Referring to the international deal that created the same for greenhouse gases, advocates say they're hoping for a 'Paris moment.'
If global biodiversity — the subject of a huge international meeting in Montreal this week — is too much of a mouthful, try thinking instead about the white-throated sparrow.
Their cheerful "Dear Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada" song brightens backyards and parks across the country. Except not so much anymore.
"It's a classic case in point," said Peter Davidson of Birds Canada, one of many groups that will be watching the upcoming two weeks of COP 15 meetings like, well, hawks.
"It's a common and widespread bird, but they are declining at a rapid rate. It's an indicator," he said of the white-throated sparrow.
That's the kind of decline that 196 countries are hoping to halt at this week's meetings by reaching a refreshed Convention on Biological Diversity that contains real goals and real money. Referring to the international deal that created the same for greenhouse gases, advocates say they're hoping for a "Paris moment."
"What happened in Paris was pretty much every country agreed there was a climate crisis and they had to take action," said Mary MacDonald of the World Wildlife Fund.
"It was a moment that pulled everyone together and that is what we're lacking for the convention."
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