As the COP16 biodiversity negotiations resume in Italy on Tuesday, scientists are expressing their amazement at the setbacks affecting nature conservation, but are trying to fight back with what they have.

Rich and poor countries are battling over who will fund nature conservation in the shadow of a radically anti-green U.S. administration.

Without the farmers, it is only political policy without implementation” – that was the stark message delivered by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s Director-General on Tuesday to delegates attending the latest round of UN biodiversity talks in Rome.

WWF warns that if countries heading to Rome for the resumed UN biodiversity conference (COP16.2) cannot agree on a way forward on finance, it will be a major setback for the Global Biodiversity Framework, with critical fundraising efforts hampered to implement the targets – just five years away from the deadline.

Hours ahead of resuming the three-day UN global biodiversity negotiations in Rome, the European Union (EU) on Monday said it is working towards an agreement on pending decisions at COP16 on biodiversity.