More than 190 countries around the world have gathered in Cali, Colombia, to discuss ways to protect biological diversity. As COP16, the biodiversity conference, nears its end, global leaders face pressure to address urgent funding needs and major issues like Indigenous and Afro-descendant rights, wildlife trafficking, and the climate crisis.
High on the agenda is the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to achieve four main goals and 23 targets by 2030 to address the biodiversity crisis.
Talks continue until November 1 which started on October 21, with key negotiations shaping the future of global biodiversity efforts.
The 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) is the meeting of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity where nations that have ratified the convention meet to discuss the global biodiversity agenda. The meeting is held every two years to assess the progress of previous agreements and to negotiate further measures to protect nature.
“The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the ultimate decision-making body of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and it meets biennially. The convention was signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and has 196 signatory countries. Its objectives are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.”
The COP16 slogan is “Peace with Nature.”
The main theme of the slogan is to avoid damaging the environment at the expense of economic development.
Biological diversity, shortened as “biodiversity“, in the simple definition refers to “life on earth” and includes all living things. In a broader sense, scientists use biodiversity as a term that incorporates the complex relationships between living organisms and their interactions with their environment.
Humans need biodiversity for basic needs like food and medicine, for ecological services like protection of watersheds and pollination, as well for cultural, spiritual, and aesthetic values.
Due to human activities, the natural world is facing an accelerated loss of animals, plants, and other species. In short, the world is facing a “biodiversity crisis”. In times like these, we must come together and take collective action to protect and restore biodiversity. COP16 holds great importance in this regard.
Also Read: COP29: What’s Next for Global Climate Policy?
Here are 7 key talking points of COP16:
1. Action Plans of Parties
Parties to the convention pledged to meet multiple biodiversity goals at COP15 in Canada. These goals were outlined in a framework called the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework for Biodiversity. The goals include protecting 30% of nature by 2030. This includes protecting terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems, as well as restoring and protecting rainforests and wetlands, which are crucial for maintaining natural balance.
However, about 35 countries have submitted their plans in this regard, the UN Environment Program reports.
According to the COP16 database, Western Europe leads with 13 submitted biodiversity plans out of 35, followed by the Asia-Pacific region with 10. Africa submitted 5, Latin America 4, and Eastern Europe 3.
COP16 will seek more plans of action and an implementation framework from Parties to the Convention.
2. Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) for 2030 Submitted by Colombia
As the host country, Colombia presented its ambitious Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) for 2030, which includes six national objectives, 30 strategic actions, and over 80 indicators. This plan aims to guide the country in tackling the accelerated loss of biodiversity and ecosystems, requiring additional funding.
Colombia currently has 54,871 species registered, but faces challenges, as 1,203 species are under threat.
According to Convention on Biological Diversity Colombia is a “megadiverse” country, hosting nearly 10% of the world’s biodiversity. It ranks first in bird and orchid species and second in plants, butterflies, freshwater fishes, and amphibians. The country has 314 ecosystems and is rich in aquatic resources, but much of its natural land has been converted for agriculture, leading to the loss of nearly 95% of dry forests.
3. Biodiversity Funding Gap – $700 Billion!
UNEP states that, at present, at least $200 billion a year is needed for protecting biodiversity. That’s not all; the world requires an additional $500 billion to transfer subsidies in sectors like energy and food production.
Therefore, a financial scheme is urgently needed to drive global biodiversity protection and restoration actions.
Discussions are underway to create a new fund to raise $30 billion annually by 2030 for biodiversity conservation financing in developing countries. The current funding mechanism is inadequate.
It was agreed to ensure $20 billion in annual funding by 2025 two years ago, way short of current conservation financing needs.
Countries and civil society groups are urging increased contributions from wealthy nations and more financial reforms to existing funding mechanisms because many Parties see the resource mobilization strategy and the frameworks of the Global Environment Facility and Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework are inadequate.
At COP16, eight governments, including Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Québec, pledged an additional $163 million to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF). This support, which includes Québec’s historic pledge as the GBFF’s first sub-national contribution, brings the fund’s contributors to 12, with backing from Canada, Japan, Luxembourg, and Spain.
However, there is strong resistance from wealthy nations to establish a new fund to address the $700 billion biodiversity funding gap.
4. Monitoring Progress Post COP16
Monitoring progress post-COP16 will be a major challenge. Delegates will discuss the targets, indicators, and methods to assess and verify progress. These indicators must be properly assessed and measured to ensure individual countries meet their targets by the next decade.
Transparent reporting and collaboration among nations will be crucial to track advancements effectively. Ban on illegal wildlife trafficking needs more concrete actions from many countries.
5. Equitable Sharing of Genetic Resources
The sustainable, equitable, and fair sharing of genetic resources has been a core agenda of the convention since it came into effect.
COP16 will emphasize fair and equitable sharing of the benefits derived from genetic resources of nature’s biodiverse living beings. This includes sharing them with communities that are their custodians and thus the most deserving. Biological materials and genetic information are of great value.
6. Importance of Indigenous Peoples in Biodiversity Conversation Efforts
COP16 will make a greater effort to recognize the importance of indigenous peoples, their social, cultural, and traditional knowledge.
The conference aims to put them at the forefront in efforts to protect nature.
For instance, the Amazon G9, an alliance of indigenous communities from nine Amazon countries, has called for land rights and direct funding to protect the Amazon.
They are representing over 500 groups. They see themselves as guardians of biodiversity. They are evidently facing threats like deforestation, mining, and climate change. These communities are also pushing for a global fund so companies using genetic resources can compensate the local communities who protect them.
7. Biodiversity Connection with Climate Change
Climate change is responsible for significant biodiversity loss. Actions to combat climate change will therefore greatly support conserving and protecting ecological balance and biodiversity.
Rising average global temperatures and unpredictable and intense weather patterns are putting a great number of species at risk. A healthy biodiversity helps fight climate impacts through natural carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling and water regulation.
Biodiversity restoration will aid in the fight against climate change. Nature has intrinsic value and plays a role in countering human-induced changes to the global climate.
“Conserving and restoring natural spaces, both on land and in the water, is essential for limiting carbon emissions and adapting to an already changing climate. About one-third of the greenhouse gas emissions reductions needed in the next decade could be achieved by improving nature’s ability to absorb emissions.”
COP16 presents a key stage for world leaders to discuss the urgent problem of biodiversity loss. The conference focuses on implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. With clear targets set, urgent action is needed for a healthier planet for all living beings.
