COP16 on biodiversity: time to make peace with nature and raise the political relevance of biodiversity

Global biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate. There are only five years left to accomplish the 23 goals and four objectives agreed under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) to deliver the results needed to reverse biodiversity loss.

The sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), hosted by Colombia between 21 October and 1 November 2024, represents a critical moment for the urgent transformative action that is needed to halt this trend.

Colombia’s commitment to peace with nature

Colombia is a land of beauty. Located between the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans is a vast territory where the Andean Mountains meet the exuberant Orinoquia, and a rich network of rivers flow down to the Amazon region. As the second most biodiverse country on Earth, it is home to 50,000 species and has protected nearly 31 million hectares– equivalent to 15% of its national territory.

This extraordinary biodiversity places Colombia at the centre of global efforts to preserve nature. Its selection as the host country for COP16 underscores its dedication to combating biodiversity loss and advancing the conservation, protection and restoration of the planet’s ecosystems. Cali, the host city, and its surroundings further exemplify the country’s biological and cultural diversity. The area embodies the historical resilience deeply ingrained in the nation’s identity.

COP16 is the first COP since the signing of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). Colombia’s goal is to advance the effective implementation of the commitments of the GBF, and to elevate the political relevance of biodiversity within the broader environmental agenda. For Colombia, COP16 must set a path to reconnect with nature in order to ensure the survival of humanity and the future health of the planet. It should do so by rethinking existing structures and systems and taking action to revise how business and economies are defined. It has to recognise the key role of ecological services and the importance of putting human rights at the centre of all efforts.

Driven by this ambition, Colombia will officially launch the World Coalition for Peace with Nature during COP16, through a voluntary declaration open to all sectors of society. This initiative is based on the conviction that the protection of nature, the preservation of global biodiversity, the restoration of the health and integrity of ecosystems and their conservation and sustainable use are a universal responsibility that requires urgent, collective and permanent action from all.

Raising the political relevance of biodiversity

Uncoordinated approaches between climate change efforts and biodiversity conservation have slowed progress for too long. Climate change and biodiversity must be tackled as two sides of the same coin. The world needs to strive with the same determination for decarbonisation and a fair energy transition while prioritising the restoration of nature to allow it to reestablish its power over the earth to stabilise the climate.

Colombia aims to foster a substantive discussion that enables the adoption of a decision which recognises the intrinsic relationship between biodiversity and climate change. For Colombia, it is time to scale up action and efficiently implement international commitments to enhance synergies among the environmental multilateral agreements, integrate biodiversity protection into broader efforts to combat climate change, and promote sustainable development. Under a coordinated and strategic approach, it would be possible to respond to the scientific calls to address, coherently and decisively, the triple crises humanity faces.

Bridging financial and policy gaps

The Global Biodiversity Framework requires sufficient and predictable resources to ensure effective implementation. Since the architecture of the current financial mechanism (GEF) is under review, one of the main challenges of COP16 is addressing financial and policy gaps that hinder biodiversity conservation.

At this COP, Colombia’s goal is to adopt decisions to initiate this revision and define a resource mobilisation strategy to help close the funding gap and ensure these resources are managed efficiently, reaching the actions taken at the local level without delay. These measures will help to ensure biodiversity goals are met in practice, not just in theory.

The role of indigenous, afro-descendants and local communities

Colombia is a culturally and ethnically diverse country., Indigenous, afro-descendants and local communities have historically been the guardians of biodiversity. For this reason, COP16 is the COP of the people; they must be at the centre of biodiversity conservation efforts. Including their voices in the decision-making process can pave the way for more equitable and effective conservation outcomes.

Article 8(j) of the CBD mandates parties to protect, conserve and preserve the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities. In advocating for a greater recognition of these groups, COP16 shall also serve as a platform for highlighting the value of the contributions of people of African descent to nature-based global sustainable development.

Tackling the challenge of digital sequence information

Another important issue on the COP16 agenda is the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from nature’s genetic information, particularly Digital Sequence Information (DSI) on Genetic Resources. There is a need to establish a multilateral mechanism for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from using DSI, including a Global Fund. As a COP aiming to achieve implementation, Colombia also expects progress regarding a decision on said multilateral mechanism with a robust monitoring framework towards achievable targets. These steps are crucial to ensure that the use of genetic resources contributes to conservation and sustainable development.

The planet faces a critical environmental crisis, and a harmonious coexistence between humans and the environment will benefit present and future generations. COP16 represents a unique opportunity to collectively take action to protect biodiversity and achieve peace with nature.

Colombia is ready to welcome and lead the world on this effort calling on the European Union’s support as a long-standing partner in the country’s actions to preserve the natural resources, its rich biodiversity, and tackle climate change, areas part of one of the two pillars of the Multiannual Indicative Programme with the country until 2027. The joint efforts to advance the sustainable use of biodiversity as a way to generate prosperity and inclusion for vulnerable rural communities show the convergence of Colombia and the EU’s goals of COP16, as people are reconnecting with their territories, building conditions for lasting peace, as well as with nature.

The views expressed in this #CriticalThinking article reflect those of the author(s) and not of Friends of Europe.