In a landmark deal aimed at protecting biodiversity, nations have agreed to protect a third of the planet for nature by 2030. Targets will also be set for protecting certain ecosystems and the rights of indigenous peoples. This agreement was made at the COP15 UN biodiversity summit in Montreal, Canada, on Monday morning. 

The summit was moved from China and was postponed due to Covid. The deal includes points that ensure sustainable use of biodiversity, maintaining and restoring ecosystems and halting species extinction. The deal also protects the fair sharing of resources from nature like medicines, protection for indigenous peoples’ rights, and requires nations to pay for and put resources into biodiversity whenever necessary. This summit has been seen as a last chance to put nature back on a path of recovery. There were divisions throughout the meetings over the strength of ambition and the ways to finance the plans.

Read More: Nations reach ‘historic’ deal to protect nature