It was just two years ago when I was asked by a group of advocates and scientists to help California become an official observer at the United Nations 2022 Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15.

COP stands for Convention of Parties, with the “parties” being the nations who are signatories to the treaty. The goal is to reach worldwide agreement on how to protect and restore nature because if biodiversity goes down the drain so goes the human species. Our survival depends on animals, plants and microscopic organisms cooperating in the great pattern of nature. Our environment took billions of years to evolve and yet only a couple of hundred years to destabilize. While there’s certainly plenty of discussion about human-caused climate change, less focus is out on our shrinking habitats and loss of biodiversity.

The goal of COP15 is to avoid the extinction of animal and human species by saving and fortifying our ecosystems, which supply food, clean water, medicines and climate stability. You’d think everyone would be on board with addressing the rapid rate of extinctions we are experiencing both locally and globally and that every country in the world would want to collaborate to take immediate and extraordinary action. But sadly that’s not the case. The United States joins the Vatican as the only United Nations members that are not parties to the COP.

It’s one of the reasons I proposed California’s leadership and involvement in COP to the Newsom Administration, which agreed that we should have an official role. So this year, California joined COP15 in Montreal as the first and only U.S. state observer. It’s something to be proud of and an effort we take seriously.

As an official observer, California has a real voice and can raise concerns and advocate for bold policy. Only nations that have ratified the treaty can cast actual votes regarding decisions, but observers like California can participate in the COP and weigh in on the negotiations while they are happening. Just as importantly, we can find ways to cooperate with other subnational governments.

The California delegation includes a diverse range of over 40 stakeholders including representatives from cities, state government, indigenous tribes and nonprofits. California’s presence is mighty and larger than the delegations of most countries. At the COP, we met with other subnational governments, such as Quebec and the Yucatán, and exploring ways that we can formally cooperate and share experiences and best practices.

What makes us so well-suited for leadership in this global arena? California is home to the most biodiverse ecosystems and the greatest number of diverse species in the nation.
These varied and massive ecosystems directly serve people and support industries such as timber production, farming, tourism and more. Our state’s sheer scale, with its huge population and a $3.35 trillion economy, means that our policies have real measurable effects around the world.

But it’s also California values that we bring to the COP. One of the top targets for the convention as a whole is “30×30,” a call for the world’s governments to designate 30% of the Earth’s lands and oceans as protected areas by the year 2030. It’s a goal that has the support of both President Joe Biden and California Governor Gavin Newsom through each of their executive orders. Our recent state budgets have reflected this commitment by investing heavily in protecting our wild spaces and species.

At COP15, there’s often just as much discussion about smaller, local and more immediate steps to combat the crisis as there is debate over global goals. Seemingly modest actions can make a big difference. One example that I was proud to highlight in Montreal is my safe wildlife passages bill, AB 2344, which was signed into law in September and requires Caltrans to work with the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife to assess the need for wildlife crossing projects on our roadways and sets the stage to get these projects underway so that we can keep wildlife, especially migrating animals like deer and mountain lions, off our highways and allow them to thrive. We know from projects across the U.S. and other countries that wildlife crossings work – reducing collisions by up to 98% and providing pathways to connect ecosystems.

Californians know that our unique natural heritage, like the iconic redwood trees and grizzly bears, cannot be replaced once they are gone. You’ll see me advocating for more sustainable practices in our legislature in the coming year and I also encourage your public support of legislation that helps us tackle climate change, embraces biodiversity and build towards a healthier future.

As always, please reach out to me with any comments, questions, or concerns through my District Office at (818) 558-3043 or Assemblymember.Friedman@Assembly.ca.gov.