McGill scholars respond to COP15 Biodiversity Conference

The 2022 United Nations Biodiversity Conference of the Parties (COP15) was held in Montreal on December 7-19, 2022. The conference’s outcome agreement, known as “30×30” means the protection of 30 per cent of land and oceans by 2030. A delegation of McGill scholars and representatives, and professors and students from a variety of departments and disciplines attended COP15, including Professor Andrew Gonzalez (Department of Biology), who served as scientific observer at the conference. Also in attendance were several McGill staff members, including those running the McGill COP15 booth, which introduced attendees to McGill’s work on biodiversity and organized campus tours. Instead of handing out pens, brochures or bags, the booth offered a QR code, which for every scan raised $1 for the Bayano-McGill Reforestation Project in Panama.

From the perspective of McGill’s representatives, some key takeaways from the conference included the need for Indigenous community-led actions to preserve biodiversity, mainstream awareness of biodiversity issues, focuses on oceans and waterways, global cooperation—and, above all, cautious hope. 

Read the full article on the McGill Reporter: https://reporter.mcgill.ca/mcgill-scholars-respond-to-cop15-biodiversity-conference