Reporting on the extent of natural ecosystems under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

Falko Buschke , Benjamin Cresswell, Naema Gros-Dubois, Alys Young, Nicholas Murray

Unlike its predecessors, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework emphasises ecosystems in its targets, goals, and monitoring framework. Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity are now expected to report on ecosystem indicators for the first time. Here we surveyed how Parties reported on Headline Indicator A.2 (Extent of Natural Ecosystems) in their 7th National Reports to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Less than one-third of Parties reported on indicator A.2, so we explored the potential of existing global data as a temporary stopgap for global reporting. Although indicator values estimated from global data were statistically consistent with those reported by Parties, there was 21-26% error between the two sources, particularly in geographically small countries. While these results suggest that existing data can inform indicators at the global scale (suggesting that approximately 70% of global terrestrial ecosystems are still natural), Parties should strive to develop ecosystems maps for national-level applications