After two weeks of extensive negotiations, the most important gathering on biodiversity in many years concluded on December 19th. The Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) saw the long-awaited adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). It defines the roadmap for governments and other stakeholders to conserve the world’s biodiversity over the next decade and beyond. 

A key part of the GBF is a set of Goals and Targets to guide action until 2050. There are several targets relevant to gene drive research, which emphasize the role of science and innovation in supporting the achievement of the GBF. Increasing scientific cooperation, access to scientific information, access to innovation and technology, and raising awareness on the critical role of science, are featured in Targets 20 and 21, as well as in Section C and Section K (g). The text of Section I also recognizes the need for cooperation for capacity building and transfer of technologies.