Overall, from January 2020 to March 2022, progress was remarkable for
genetic conservation. Genetic diversity in Goal A evolved from a simple
mention, to a quantitative commitment, to higher ambition in the
quantitative commitment and more specificity, to clearer connections to
indicators recently proposed and tested. Genetic diversity in Target 4
evolved from no mention to a simple mention, to more specificity and
ambition.
Vital elements of the current text are worth highlighting. Specifically,
genetic diversity among populations is needed to maintain adaptation to
different local environments, while genetic diversity within populations
is needed to allow each population to avoid inbreeding and quickly
respond to changing conditions
(Turner et al.
2008; Flood and Hancock 2017; Bitter et al. 2019). Both are
needed, and maintaining one does not necessarily result in maintaining
the other. This concept must be kept in the Post 2020 GBF, preferably
as ‘maintain all genetically distinct populations and genetic
diversity within populations.’