Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)

Status, September 2026: COP17 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (Yerevan, Armenia, October 19–30, 2026) holds the first global review of progress on the framework; 125 countries submitted their seventh national reports ahead of it. Source: CBD.

What Is the Global Biodiversity Framework?

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), adopted in December 2022 at COP15 by the 196 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), is the global plan to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. It sets four long-term goals for 2050 and 23 targets for 2030, representing the most ambitious international biodiversity agreement ever adopted.

The GBF is to biodiversity what the Paris Agreement is to climate — it creates a global framework that will drive national regulation, financial sector requirements, and corporate strategy for the rest of the decade.

Who It Applies To

The GBF applies to signatory nations, but its implications cascade to businesses through:

• National regulation: Countries must develop NBSAPs to implement GBF targets, creating domestic requirements
• Financial regulation: Target 14 requires integration of biodiversity into financial flows; Target 15 requires business disclosure
• Supply chain requirements: Targets on deforestation, pollution, and sustainable use create supply chain obligations
• Voluntary frameworks: TNFD, SBTN, and corporate commitments reference GBF targets

Key Targets (Selected Business-Relevant)

Target 1: Plan and manage all areas to reduce biodiversity loss — implications for land-use planning and development

Target 2: Restore 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030 — creates restoration requirements and opportunities

Target 3 (30x30): Protect 30% of land and ocean by 2030 — expansion of protected areas affects extractive industries, agriculture, infrastructure

Target 7: Cut pollution to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity by 2030, including halving excess nutrients lost to the environment and the overall risk from pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals — affects agriculture, chemicals, manufacturing

Target 8: Minimize climate change impacts on biodiversity — links climate and biodiversity strategies

Target 10: Ensure sustainable management of agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry — affects food and agriculture value chains

Target 14: Integrate biodiversity values into policies, regulations, and financial flows — drives sustainable finance requirements

Target 15: Require large businesses and financial institutions to monitor, assess, and transparently disclose risks, dependencies, and impacts on biodiversity — the corporate disclosure target

Target 16: Enable sustainable consumption choices and reduce food waste by 50% — affects consumer products and retail

Target 19: Mobilize $200 billion per year for biodiversity by 2030 — creates funding flows and green finance opportunities

Implementation Mechanism

The GBF operates through:

1. National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs): Each country develops its plan to achieve GBF targets
2. National targets: Countries set their own targets aligned with global goals
3. Monitoring framework: Headline, component, and complementary indicators track progress
4. Global review: Parties report progress in national reports (125 of 196 filed their seventh reports by the February 28, 2026 deadline), which feed the first global review of collective progress at COP17 in October 2026
5. Financial mechanism: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) serves as the financial mechanism

Implications for Business

Regulatory risk: As countries implement NBSAPs, expect new regulations on:

• Land use and protected areas
• Pollution and pesticide reduction
• Deforestation and ecosystem conversion
• Corporate biodiversity disclosure
• Invasive species management

Financial risk: Financial institutions are integrating biodiversity into:

• Investment screening and portfolio analysis
• Lending criteria and loan covenants
• Insurance underwriting
• Sustainable finance products (biodiversity bonds, nature credits)

Operational risk: Companies with operations or supply chains in nature-sensitive areas face:

• Restricted access to resources in expanded protected areas
• Higher costs for sustainable sourcing
• Supply chain disruption from ecosystem degradation
• Community opposition to nature-harmful activities

Opportunity: The GBF also creates opportunities:

• Growing markets for nature-based solutions
• Demand for biodiversity monitoring technology
• Sustainable agriculture and aquaculture premiums
• Ecosystem restoration services
• Biodiversity credits and nature finance

Compliance Steps for Businesses

1. Assess exposure: Map your operations and supply chain against GBF targets to identify which affect you
2. Monitor NBSAPs: Track national implementation in your key markets
3. Conduct nature assessment: Use TNFD LEAP approach to evaluate your dependencies and impacts
4. Set targets: Develop nature-related targets aligned with relevant GBF targets and SBTN methodology
5. Integrate into strategy: Embed biodiversity into procurement, product design, site selection, and risk management
6. Disclose: Report on biodiversity through TNFD, CSRD E4, CDP, and your sustainability report

How Council Fire Can Help

Council Fire helps organizations understand and respond to the GBF — from exposure assessment and TNFD alignment through nature target-setting and strategy integration. Contact us for biodiversity strategy support.