Vital elements of the current text are worth highlighting. Specifically, genetic diversity among populations is needed to maintain unique adaptations 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). This helps the overall species, and each population, to survive. Both are needed, and maintaining one does not necessarily result in maintaining the other. Retaining this concept will strengthen the Post 2020 GBF, preferably as ‘maintain all genetically distinct populations and genetic diversity within populations.’