China is putting nature at risk with its biodiversity summit delays

It’s time for China to put national pride aside and let another country host the UN COP15 biodiversity conference, for the sake of wildlife, plants and habitats worldwide, says Adam Vaughan

By Adam Vaughan

Imagine that for more than two years the world had decided not to bother setting a future target on action to avert climate change. That governments had accepted a status quo where one country repeatedly postponed a landmark UN climate summit despite other major meetings happening amid the lingering covid-19 pandemic. There would be outrage. Leaders would line up to condemn the limbo. Thousands of people would protest in the streets over inaction on such an existential issue.

Yet when it …