ASSOCIATED PRESS • December 19, 2022
Negotiators reached a historic deal at a U.N. biodiversity conference early Monday that would represent the most significant effort to protect the world's lands and oceans and provide critical financing to save biodiversity in the developing world. The global framework comes a day before the United Nations Biodiversity Conference, or COP15, is set to end in Montreal. The most significant part of the agreement is a commitment to protect 30% of land and water considered important for biodiversity by 2030. Currently, 17% of terrestrial and 10% of marine areas are protected.