Montreal, Sep 4 (IANS): Discussions at the virtual third meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (WG2020-3) went into recess, following positive and constructive exchanges that bring the world closer to a clear, ambitious and transformative global framework necessary to accelerate the transformations needed to safeguard the health of the planet.

Over the past two weeks, governments, together with a broad range of key stakeholder groups, engaged in in-depth discussions centred on refining all the goals, targets and elements needed to make the framework both ambitious and transformative, and to ensure that its Draft One, released in July, now reflects the full range and richness of their views.

Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity, said: "Delegates from around the world, both governments and stakeholders alike, have worked diligently to build a framework that will be widely accessible and easily understood at all levels of society in order to foster integrated and inclusive approaches to implementation.

"They envisage a framework that is truly global in nature and embraced by all segments of society. Their commitment brought us all one step closer to the beginning of a new era for the protection of nature."

Basile van Havre and Francis Ogwal, WG2020-3 Co-Chairs, said: "WG2020-3 met all expectations, and in fact exceeded expectations in several areas. We saw more convergence from delegates and even areas of divergence are better circumscribed now.

"Participants demonstrated their approval of Draft One and came well prepared to provide their insights and refinements on the framework's essential elements. They made genuine progress by remaining fully engaged through many long hours of discussion, proving their extraordinary level of commitment for adopting nothing less than a clear, ambitious and transformative global framework on biodiversity at COP-15 in Kunming."

Delegates will continue their discussions during the resumed session in January 2022 in Geneva, where they hope to advance the framework in preparation for adoption at the UN Biodiversity Conference (15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties or COP-15) in Kunming, China, next year.

Delegates also helped build political momentum for COP-15 by convening a high-level Biodiversity Pre-COP event in the margins of the meeting, under the leadership of the government of Colombia, to promote the critical elements of the framework and ensure the level of ambition needed to safeguard and put biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030.

The Pre-COP, hosted by President Ivan Duque Marquez of Colombia, as host of WG2020-3, which concluded on Friday, saw the participation of heads of state and government, and included announcements of commitments by governments that are members of the High Ambition Coalition and signatories to the Leaders' Pledge for Nature.