Environment and Climate Change Canada
Guilbeault Boosts Canada’s Role in Nature, Biodiversity
As the second largest country on Earth, Canada is home to much of the world’s rich biodiversity and natural beauty. Nature provides for communities across this country, but biodiversity loss is accelerating at an alarming rate, threatening the foundations of our economy, food security, health, and quality of life.
That is why the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, attended the resumed session of the 16th United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP16.2). The Minister engaged actively in Ministerial consultations, negotiations, and bilateral meetings with partners to continue advancing the implementation of the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework. This included a roundtable with civil society representatives to share views and opportunities on advancing biodiversity action.
At the conference, Minister Guilbeault convened his fellow Nature Champions, who called for progress by the private sector and other key actors to continue supporting nature and help achieve global conservation goals.
At COP16.2, Canada and international partners adopted the Resource Mobilization Strategy as a tool to strengthen the mobilization of resources to implement all of the goals of the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework, as agreed during COP15. At the conference, countries agreed to monitor and assess progress toward the 23 targets for 2030 laid out by the Framework, including how to use the global review of collective progress that will take place at COP17 in 2026 as a next opportunity to increase momentum on biodiversity action.
Canada is determined to work with international partners to advance global action toward tackling the biodiversity crisis and protecting nature. Our collective actions must meet the urgency of the challenge before us.
Backed by over $12 billion in investments since 2015, the Government of Canada has led the largest campaign in Canadian history to support nature and nature-based climate solutions, with the goal of protecting 30% of land and water by 2030 and conserving species at risk, in full partnership with provinces, territories, and Indigenous peoples.
At the conference, Minister Guilbeault also highlighted Canada’s domestic leadership on nature protection and biodiversity action, including through the delivery of two major announcements this week to protect Northern and Arctic ecosystems with Indigenous partners.
On February 27, Prime Minister Trudeau jointly announced the signing of the SINAA Project Finance for Permanence Agreement between the Government of Canada, the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA), The Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Aajuraq Conservation Fund Society. This milestone agreement in advancing Inuit-led conservation and reconciliation includes a new conservation plan to establish a robust and lasting network of proposed Inuit-led and protected water and land conservation areas in Canada’s Arctic. The Agreement will also make meaningful progress in advancing the goal to conserve 30% of oceans in Canada by 2030, adding an additional 3.68% contribution to Canada’s water-based ecosystems.
On February 24, Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for Northwest Territories, jointly announced the signing of the Canada-Northwest Territories Nature Agreement to advance nature-related priorities, in collaboration with Indigenous governments, across the territory. The 10-year Agreement reflects the governments’ shared commitment to long-term environmental sustainability and addresses the critical challenge of biodiversity loss. This is done by providing support for Indigenous-Led Protected and Conserved Areas, improving outcomes for key species at risk, supporting Indigenous leadership in conservation and stewardship, and facilitating data exchange.
https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2025/02/minister-guilbeault-advances-canadian-leadership-on-nature-and-biodiversity-at-home-and-internationally.html