A critical aspect of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), Target 16, aims to reduce the global footprint of consumption equitably by 2030. SEI and its partners, through research and tools like the Global Environmental Impacts of Consumption (GEIC) indicator, are playing a pivotal role in supporting countries to meet this ambitious goal.

The importance of Target 16 

Target 16 of the Global Biodiversity Framework addresses a crucial yet often overlooked driver of biodiversity loss – global consumption patterns. Agriculture, while essential for food security, is a major contributor to biodiversity degradation, driving deforestation, habitat destruction, and species loss on a massive scale. The recently published WWF Living Planet Report revealed a catastrophic 73% global decline in the average size of monitored wildlife populations between 1970 and 2020. 

Every day, vast quantities of agricultural products are traded across borders, yet the biodiversity impacts of these trade flows are poorly understood, making it difficult to allocate responsibility. To make informed decisions, governments and businesses need clear data on where biodiversity risks are greatest and where opportunities for improvement exist. 

Using data to drive action: SEI’s GEIC Indicator 

At the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Montreal, the GEIC Indicator was introduced to help track the biodiversity impacts of global consumption under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. As part of Target 16, the GEIC Indicator helps countries understand how their consumption patterns contribute to biodiversity loss.  

This science-based tool provides transparent data on the offshoring of environmental impacts, a process where countries reduce their domestic environmental damage but still contribute to environmental degradation abroad through their consumption of imported goods. According to the WWF Living Planet Report, the steepest biodiversity declines are found in regions like Latin America and the Caribbean, where losses reach a staggering 95%. In contrast, the EU has lower recorded declines, around 35%. However, nations with lower domestic biodiversity loss rates may still drive significant impacts abroad through their international supply chains – a dynamic the GEIC Indicator effectively captures. By revealing these hidden connections, the tool helps countries understand the true global impact of their consumption.