KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 — As a megadiverse country, Malaysia takes the stand that the implementation of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (Post-2020 GBF) must take into account current developments and interests.

Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the implementation of Post-2020 GBF must be supported by guidance documents as well as adequate technical and financial assistance from the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other developed countries.

"The results of the CBD negotiations will be translated into the national biodiversity management framework through the National Biodiversity Policy (DKBK),” he said in a statement tonight.

The Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry, as the national focal point for the CBD, is currently leading the national delegation at the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD (CBD COP15).

CBD COP15 is being held from December 7-19 in Montreal, Canada.

Nik Nazmi said the CBD is a multilateral environmental agreement (MEA) membered by 196 member countries and has three main goals, namely the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components and the sharing of benefits from genetic resources in a fair and equitable manner.

"COP is held every two years to negotiate policy and technical documents related to biodiversity at the international level and COP15 is very important because it will finalise the Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan to replace the Aichi Biodiversity Targets,” he said.

He said in the CBD COP15 meeting, the national delegation is represented by 24 officials from relevant ministries, departments or agencies at the federal and state levels.

In addition to Post-2020 GBF, among the main agendas involving national interests at the meeting are protected areas, synthetic biology, digital sequence information (DSI), marine biodiversity, invasive alien species (IAS) and resource mobilisation. — Bernama