A look back at COP16: The state of play for biodiversity protection
The 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16), held in Cali, Colombia, ended last week on a low note.
Despite unprecedented enthusiasm and some progress, several issues remained unresolved due to a lack of consensus. Habitat was on the spot, and has come away with several important highlights:
Over 700,000 people, including 23,000 registered delegates, attended the conference, whose theme was "Making Peace with Nature".
This conference marked an important milestone in the protection of biodiversity, as it followed on from COP15, where the historic Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework agreement was signed. This agreement includes 23 ambitious targets to be achieved by 2030. The issues and discussions raised at COP16 therefore focused in particular on the implementations and actions to be put in place to achieve the targets set for 2022.
At the opening of the conference, only 29 of the 196 participating countries, including Canada, had submitted their national biodiversity strategies to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as pledged. This figure had risen to 44 countries by the end of COP16, while 119 countries had submitted partial commitments in line with the Global Framework objectives.
Biodiversity credits have been at the heart of discussions, particularly in relation to Target 19 of the Global Framework, which highlights the need for $200 billion in investment per year. Biodiversity credits are presented as a potentially game-changing innovation, but are strongly opposed on the grounds of greenwashing and disempowerment.
Questions concerning the need to release more funds to support developing countries remained unanswered, as no agreement could be reached due to opposition from several Northern Global countries. Discussions had to be suspended on Saturday November 2, due to a lack of quorum, as delegates from many countries left the conference, which was initially due to close the day before.
The issue of sharing the benefits of digital genetic information (DSI) has been discussed once again, with the launch of the "Cali Fund". Although there are no binding measures obliging them to do so, major companies generating profits from the commercial use of DSI (pharmaceuticals, agri-food, biotech, etc.) will be able to contribute to the Fund on a voluntary basis. The money raised will be used to support Global South countries in implementing the global framework, with priority given to the needs of indigenous and local communities.
A notable gain was achieved for indigenous peoples and Afrodescendant communities, with the creation of a permanent body to represent their interests within the CBD. This body will give a direct voice to these communities, highlighting their traditional knowledge and their crucial role in achieving the objectives of the global biodiversity framework. Earlier in the week, indigenous leaders from nine countries that share the Amazon joined forces to create a G9, underlining the importance of their role as guardians of nature.
COP17, to be held in Armenia in 2026, will already mark the halfway point between the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the target date of 2030. It is crucial that between now and then, the countries of the North continue to contribute actively to the financing of biodiversity, and that all accelerate the development and implementation of their biodiversity action plans.