The Aichi Biodiversity Targets were adopted by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2010. They represent a set of 20 targets that aim to protect and preserve the planet`s biodiversity by 2020. The Aichi Agreement was reached by 196 parties at the CBD`s 10th Conference of the Parties in 2010, which was held in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

The Aichi Agreement aimed to address the unprecedented loss of biodiversity that is occurring worldwide. The targets that were set out in the agreement are divided into five main categories, including addressing the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, reducing pressures on biodiversity, the sustainable management of biodiversity, the conservation of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits that come with using genetic resources.

Under the first category, addressing the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, the targets include ensuring that people understand the value of biodiversity and the ecological services that it provides, addressing the unsustainable consumption patterns, and improving the capacity of Indigenous and local communities to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity.

The second category, reducing pressures on biodiversity, includes reducing habitat loss, protecting ecosystems that are a high priority for biodiversity conservation, reducing pollution and improving the management of invasive alien species.

The third category, the sustainable management of biodiversity, includes ensuring that biodiversity is incorporated into policies, plans, and strategies across all sectors, improving the sustainability of agriculture and forestry practices and ensuring that fisheries are managed in a sustainable way.

The fourth category, the conservation of biodiversity, includes improving the status of endangered species, providing adequate protection for ecosystems that are critical to biodiversity, and ensuring that areas that are important for the conservation of biodiversity are protected.

The fifth category, the equitable sharing of the benefits that come with using genetic resources, aims to ensure that the benefits that result from the use of genetic resources are shared fairly and equitably.

The Aichi Agreement was a significant step forward in the global effort to protect and preserve biodiversity. While some progress has been made towards achieving the targets that were set out in the agreement, many of them have not been met. At the CBD`s 15th Conference of the Parties in 2021, a new set of targets was adopted for the period 2021-2030, known as the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. This new framework builds on the Aichi Agreement and aims to accelerate progress towards achieving the goals of the CBD.

In conclusion, the Aichi Agreement was a crucial global effort to address the unprecedented loss of biodiversity that is occurring worldwide. The targets that were set out in the agreement represented an important step towards protecting and preserving the planet`s biodiversity by 2020. While progress has been made towards achieving these targets, there is still much work to be done in the years ahead to ensure that we can protect and preserve the world`s biodiversity for future generations.