Introduction:

In December 2022, 196 countries gathered in Montreal, Canada, for the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), marking a historic turning point in global efforts to address biodiversity loss. The adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)Âushered in an ambitious and transformative agenda to halt and reverse biodiversity decline by 2030. The framework outlines 23 global targets and four overarching goals, ranging from ecosystem restoration and sustainable resource use to equitable benefit-sharing and closing the biodiversity financing gap. Crucially, it establishes a robust monitoring framework, a roadmap for national implementation, and strategies for mobilizing resources to achieve these objectives.

The GBF serves as a universal blueprint for nations to realign their policies, governance systems, and conservation strategies with the urgent need to protect Earth’s life-support systems. For countries like Liberia—home to globally significant biodiversity, including vast tracts of Upper Guinean rainforests and endemic species—the GBF presents both a responsibility and an opportunity. Liberia’s rich natural capital underpins its climate resilience, livelihoods, and sustainable development aspirations. Aligning national priorities with the GBF is not merely a compliance exercise but a strategic imperative to safeguard ecosystems, secure community well-being, and foster nature-positive economic growth.