Botanic gardens: indispensable engines for delivering the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
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Date: April 20, 2026
Edinburgh, UK: A new opinion article published in Biological Diversity emphasizes that botanic gardens play an irreplaceable role in curbing biodiversity loss and effectively advancing the UN Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). Written by Professor Stephen Blackmore from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the paper points out that plant diversity forms the foundation of global ecosystem stability, climate regulation and human well-being. To safeguard threatened plant resources amid intensifying climate change and habitat destruction, integrated in situ protection and ex situ conservation have become an urgent and essential strategy worldwide.
The author puts forward three core strategic priorities to strengthen the global function of botanic gardens. First, build an interconnected global meta-collection of living plants to maximize the coverage of endangered and key species. Second, expand the conservation of genetically diverse plant materials in living collections, seed banks and seed orchards, focusing on the most threatened species and degraded ecosystems. Third, scale up the large-scale propagation of high-quality wild-sourced plants to support global ecological restoration and urban greening.
The article also highlights successful practices from megadiverse countries. China is accelerating the construction of a national botanical garden system, aiming to conserve more than 50% of native higher plant species and over 85% of national key protected species by 2050. South Africa is expanding its national botanic garden network to cover all provinces and biomes, supporting the implementation of the GBF at the national level.
With integrated advantages in horticulture, systematics and science education, botanic gardens act as core hubs for plant conservation, taxonomic research, public outreach and capacity building. Supported by platforms such as World Flora Online and BGCI’s PlantSearch, they promote global data sharing and conservation collaboration. The author calls for strengthened international cooperation, expanded partnerships and increased financial investment, so that botanic gardens can fully unleash their potential and make a sustained contribution to achieving the goals of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and building a global ecological civilization.
Original Source
Blackmore, Stephen. 2024. “Botanic Gardens Are Vital for Delivering the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.” Biological Diversity 1(3–4): 120–123.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bod2.12022
About the Author
Stephen Blackmore (First Author and Corresponding Author), Chair of the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, is a renowned international botanist and one of the leading figures advancing global plant diversity conservation. He is dedicated to research on global biodiversity conservation, plant systematics, and palynology.
About the Journal
Biological Diversity (ISSN: 2994-4139) is a new open-access, high-impact, English-language journal, devoted to advancing biodiversity conservation, enhancing ecosystem services, and promoting the sustainable use of resources under global change. It features innovative research addressing the global biodiversity crisis.