U.N. says global biodiversity talks to move from China's Kunming to Montreal

The second round of COP-15 talks to secure a global post-2020 biodiversity agreement will be moved from Kunming in China to Montreal, Canada as a result of uncertainties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

The much-delayed talks will take place from Dec. 5-17, with China remaining as President of the Conference of Parties, the executive secretary of the U.N. Convention on Biodiversity, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, said in a statement.

The first round of negotiations took place in Kunming in October 2021 with the decisive second round originally due to begin in April this year.