2021 Volume 26 Issue 2 Article ID: 2110
This study reviews and analyses challenges related to the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (post-Aichi Biodiversity Targets) of the Convention on Biological Diversity, in terms of conserving genetic diversity and sharing the benefits of utilisation of genetic resources. The importance of establishing comprehensive targets and indicators for conserving the genetic diversity of all species, including wild species, is highlighted. The draft framework proposed maintenance of at least 90% of the genetic diversity within all species as the 2050 goal, and the use of population proportions with an effective population size > 500 as a headline indicator. These proposals could be improved to more easily communicable global targets and indicators by consideration of the numbers of mature individuals, subspecies and variants. Furthermore, indicators of genetic structure conservation could be developed by adopting pre-existing metrics such as evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) and management units (MUs). Ideally, at least one gene conservation unit (GCU) or similar protected natural area should be established within each ESU or MU to ensure protection of genetic diversity. The proportion of species meeting these requirements could be calculated to evaluate the progress of genetic structure conservation. For longer-term evaluations, targets and/or indicators could be developed to determine the extent to which genetic erosion is reducing species/population fitness. The draft framework has proposed a global goal and target to increase sharing of the benefits of genetic resource utilisation; however, this could lead to excessive exploitation of genetic resources that require multiple collection from the field. Ongoing discussions include identification of genetic resources distributed across international borders, the potential introduction of a new multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism for such genetic resources, and whether digital sequence information (DSI) should be included in the scope of this benefit sharing. Overall, more attention is being paid to benefit sharing in relation to the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, rather than to the conservation of genetic resources and their diversity. Therefore, the global discussion should be further developed, based on a conservation-genetics framework, toward implementation of measures to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity.
