Nations agree historic deal to save nature

NAGOYA, Japan, (Reuters) – Delegates from nearly 200  nations agreed today to a sweeping plan to stem the loss of  species by setting new 2020 targets to ensure greater protection  of nature and enshrine the benefits it gives mankind.

Environment ministers from around the globe also agreed on  rules for sharing the benefits from genetic resources from  nature between governments and companies, a key trade and  intellectual property issue that could be worth billions of  dollars in new funds for developing nations.

Agreement on parts of the deal has taken years of at times  heated negotiations, and talks in the Japanese city of Nagoya  were deadlocked until late today.

“This meeting has delivered a sea change in the global  understanding of the multi-trillion dollar importance of  biodiversity of forests, wetlands and other ecosystems,” the  head of the U.N. Environment Programme, Achim Steiner, said in a  statement.

Delegates said the outcome would send a positive signal to  troubled U.N. climate negotiations that have been become bogged  down by a split between rich and poor nations over how to share  the burden in curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

U.N. climate talks resume in Mexico in a month.

Delegates held two weeks of talks in Nagoya to map out goals  to protect oceans, forests and rivers as the world faces the  worst extinction rate since the dinosaurs vanished 65 million  years ago. More than 100 ministers joined the talks in the final  days.

The meeting aimed to push governments and businesses into  taking sweeping steps to protect ecosystems long taken for  granted but crucial for providing sources for food, water,  tourism and industry.

Delegates agreed to a 20-point strategic plan to protect  fish stocks, fight the loss and degradation of natural habitats  and to conserve larger land and marine areas.

They also set a broader 2020 “mission” to take urgent action  to halt the loss of biodiversity to ensure ecosystems provide  essential services for human wellbeing.

Nations agreed to protect 17 percent of land and inland  waters and 10 percent of coastal and marine areas by 2020.  Currently, 13 percent of land and 1 percent of oceans are  protected for conservation.

“Governments have sent a strong message that protecting the  health of the planet has a place in international politics,”  said Jim Leape, director-general of conservation group WWF  International.

The third part of the deal, the Nagoya Protocol on genetic  resources, has taken nearly 20 years to agree and sets rules  governing how nations manage and share benefits derived from  forests and seas to create new drugs, crops or cosmetics.

The protocol could unlock billions of dollars for developing  countries, where much of the world’s natural riches remain.

“This isn’t a boring protocol. It will regulate billions of  dollars for the pharmaceutical industry,” said Tove Ryding,  policy adviser for biodiversity and climate change for  Greenpeace.