The foundation of the agreement is a pledge to protect 30% of the world's land and oceans by 2030, usually referred to as the 30 by 30 goal.

In a perspective published on December 5, a section of conservationists warned that insufficient attention to direct and indirect drivers of decline, unrealistic biodiversity response objectives, and timelines, and failure to address fundamental inequities of past and current conservation and sharing of nature's benefits could undermine the potential for success of the GBF. Ahead of COP15, negotiators at the Open-Ended Working Group, worked from December 3 to December 5, to advance a refined, less bracketed draft text of the GBF, that will set the stage for the final COP15 negotiations.

Elizabeth Mrema, the CBD's Executive Secretary expressed concern that while some progress has been made "But not so much as needed or expected." "And I have personally to admit that I don't feel that the delegates went as far as we had expected," Mrema said at the COP15 opening press briefing.

WWF also expressed concerns over the "Desperately slow progress" over delivering a cleaner text in the pre-COP15 meetings but expressed optimism over the "Considerable progress and consensus" on the need to firmly integrate a rights-based approach into the framework, relevant for the recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities to the lands and territories and also in relation to integrating a gender approach in the framework.

Ahead of the critical negotiations, the Youth Summit, organised by the Global Youth Biodiversity Network, saw over 300 young people from around the world participate alongside ministers and dignitaries to "Organise, network, learn new skills, exchange knowledge, and share their hopes and concerns for COP 15.".

Pakhi Das, the national coordinator of the Indian Biodiversity Youth Network, told Mongabay-India, that youth can take on a raft of activities once the GBF is adopted for effective implementation of the GBF, such as setting up online citizen science portals and developing apps to monitor progress on the goals.