UN warns global biodiversity targets from Montreal deal are likely to be missed as Cop17 convenes

Four years after the Montreal biodiversity agreement, governments are on track to miss nearly all of its 23 targets, including protecting 30% of the planet and reforming $500bn in harmful subsidies. The UK, despite early ambition, is expected to meet only three targets by 2030. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned at Cop17 in Yerevan that lack of action means 'the war on nature has not ended'.

Why it matters. The failure to meet biodiversity targets affects global ecosystems, species survival, and the livelihoods of communities dependent on natural resources, undermining international environmental cooperation.