COP16, the world's most important event for biodiversity conservation, that will take place in Colombia
The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) on Biodiversity, a crucial event for global biodiversity conservation, will begin on 21 October in Cali, Colombia
The Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, under the leadership of Susana Muhamad, emphasizes that COP16 is an international platform to establish agendas, commitments, and action frameworks regarding biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services, facing challenges such as the climate crisis, loss of natural habitats, and resource overexploitation.
Member countries of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will meet to review progress made in implementing the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022.
Jimena Nieto, a lawyer from the University of Rosario in Colombia and master's degree in Public International Law from the London School of Economics, who is currently an advisor to the Alexander Von Humboldt Institute, explains that in the 1980s, governments around the world, concerned about the accelerated loss of biodiversity, decided to adopt the Convention on Biological Diversity.
This agreement, which functions as a contract between States, has three main objectives: to conserve biodiversity, use it sustainably, and ensure the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits derived from genetic resources.
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Also, Nieto mentions that when international treaties are adopted, it creates the Conference of the Parties (COP), similar to an assembly, where countries participate.
The COP to be held in Cali is the 16th, as 15 conferences have taken place since 1993, celebrated every two years. It is the highest decision-making body of the Convention on Biological Diversity, where countries, over 15 days, make decisions on the most relevant issues on the convention's agenda.
COP16 in detail
According to lawyer Nieto, there are three key issues at COP16:
Resource Mobilization:
At COP15, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted with four goals to be achieved by 2050. Now, it is essential to determine the financial resources available to reach these goals.
Equitable Sharing of Benefits:
Discussions will focus on establishing a multilateral mechanism to ensure the fair sharing of benefits derived from the use of "Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources." This will ensure that countries of origin of these resources receive benefits when they are used.
Linking Climate Change and Biodiversity:
There is a need to create a clear link these two issues.
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Minister Susana Muhamad emphasizes that to protect biodiversity, it is essential to combat climate change. However, in the realm of international treaties, these topics are still treated separately. The minister hopes that from Cali, a "vehicle" will emerge to connect COP16 with COP30 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be held in Belém do Pará.
She also notes that COP16 will be "the people's COP," where everyone interested in biodiversity issues can actively participate. Thus, the Green Zone has been set up at Bulevar del Río, an open space where the public can attend without accreditation where will take place a biodiversity fair, ongoing dialogues, and academic and educational events.
For Colombia, hosting COP16 is important to reaffirm its leadership on these issues. As one of the most biodiverse countries around the world, Colombia is at the heart of discussions on protecting key ecosystems, sustainability, and environmental restoration.
This meeting will be an opportunity to strengthen global commitments to biodiversity loss and to promote policies that favor equity, traditional knowledge, and the sustainable use of natural resources.
Therefore, everyone in Cali and those who can travel to Cali are encouraged to take advantage of these spaces, where the world will gather to discuss and make decisions on the planet's biodiversity.
