The 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and what it means for Australian biodiversity law

The 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) represents a positive development for biodiversity law at the global and domestic level. The outcome document, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), is intended to shape the direction of biodiversity law for the remainder of this decade and to guide the 'Convention on Biological Diversity' toward 2050 and the vision of “Living in Harmony with Nature.” This brief article identifies and analyses those features of the GBF that promote this commitment to delivering urgent and transformative action and change in law and beyond. The article will first describe the background to COP15 and explain how transformation emerged as critical in guiding the legal response. Following this, the article will analyse those mechanisms that emphasize and promote urgency and transformative change in terms of both legal design and implementation. This is supplemented by showcasing how the proposed changes to Australian laws that protect and enhance biodiversity, both align and can give effect to the purpose of the GBF.