China launches biodiversity fund

• Integrity Education, Delhi
• 13, Oct 2021

• Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the launch of a 1.5 billion yuan ($232.47 million) fund ( Kunming Biodiversity Fund ) to support biodiversity protection in developing countries.
• Its pledge came as delegates from about 195 countries gathered in the southern Chinese city of Kunming for the first of a two-part summit (UN Biodiversity Conference - COP15) on safeguarding plants, animals and ecosystems.
• The summit aims to establish a new accord setting out targets for 2030 and 2050.
• A key proposal being debated at the conference is the “30 by 30” agenda that would afford 30% of the Earth’s land and oceans protected status by 2030.
• Another goal is to stop producing plastic waste and reduce the use of harmful pesticides.