Only yesterday, the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) kicked off in Cali, Colombia.

Until November 1, countries will meet to build on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), a historic agreement to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

With only six years remaining, the stakes at Cali simply could not be higher. Although 196 countries adopted the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) in 2022, we are far from achieving the GBF’s goals. COP16 presents a key moment for the world to reverse its current trajectory and build a nature-positive world.

The clock ticks at the ‘People’s COP’

COP16 comes during a biodiversity loss crisis. The World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report 2022 found that monitored wildlife populations have decreased by 69% since 1970. Nearly 3.7 million hectares of tropical forest were lost last year, according to the World Resources Institute. And scientists warn that the Amazon is approaching a tipping point beyond which it would begin to transition from a tropical rainforest into a dry, degraded savanna—putting our world climate system at risk.

COP16 represents an inflection point for us to address these key issues at the scale and speed necessary to reverse our current trajectory. Parties are on the clock to submit their national biodiversity strategies, scale up biodiversity finance, phase out harmful subsidies, adopt a common monitoring framework, and build common ground in the fight to tackle climate change and address biodiversity loss.

What’s more, this conference presents a unique opportunity to showcase the rich biodiversity in my home country of Colombia, which is considered one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries and is home to 10% of the planet’s biodiversity. Building “Peace with Nature” is a key theme at this year’s COP, as we recognize our inharmonious relationship with the planet and commit to building a better world.

“Making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century. It must be the top, top priority for everyone, everywhere,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres back in 2020.

Through experiences and lessons learned in Colombia, we can show how the fight to build a biodiverse world must be driven locally. Cali will likely see an increased focus on Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), who play a key role in conservation, restoration, and the sustainable use of biodiversity.

The road from Rio to Cali

Today’s biodiversity conferences are rooted in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was opened for signature at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Article 1 of the CBD spells out the treaty's primary objectives: “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.”

To date, 196 countries have ratified the CBD, with the Holy See (the Vatican) and the United States being the sole outliers. The United States signed the CBD in 1993 but never ratified it.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) serves as the governing body, and COPs are held every two years. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) is based in Montreal, Canada.

In 2022, Parties met in Montreal, where they agreed to the historic GBF that sets forth four overarching goals and 23 targets, building on its predecessor, the 2010 Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The four goals seek increased natural ecosystem areas, the sustainable use of biodiversity, fair and equitable sharing of genetic resources, and the mobilization of resources to close the $700 billion biodiversity finance gap. The targets include protecting 30% of terrestrial, inland water, and marine and coastal ecosystems by 2030 (Target 3), eliminating, phasing out, or reforming incentives to the tune of $500 billion per year by 2030 (Target 18), and mobilizing at least $200 billion in biodiversity finance by 2030 (Target 19).

Earlier this year, governments convened at the CBD’s Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI4) and Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical, and Technological Advice (SBSTTA26) in Nairobi, the last time countries met before COP16.

An implementation COP

A packed preliminary agenda means negotiators will be busy with several important issues in Cali. Among the most critical items headed into COP16 are the submission of revised and updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs); agreements on mechanisms for planning, monitoring, reporting, and review; the long-term strategy for mobilizing resources for biodiversity; and building on linkages between climate change and biodiversity.

A call for NBSAPs

Established under Article 6 of the CBD, NBSAPs advance the attainment of worldwide biodiversity objectives. They are effectively the convention’s main vehicle for implementation. Countries have agreed to revise and update their NBSAPs ahead of COP16 with the hope of having national strategies consistent with the goals and targets set forth in the GBF. Submissions demonstrating high levels of ambition will be key to maintaining momentum heading into COP16.

Although we are just days out from COP16, only around one-third of countries have submitted their national biodiversity targets outlining national action to achieve each of the GBF’s 23 targets. To ensure a successful COP, we must see greater alignment at the national level with the international goals and targets established in the GBF and agree to common timelines for finalizing and submitting these national plans.

A robust monitoring framework

One of the critical topics at COP16 will be how to implement a framework for monitoring and evaluating progress. Decisions 15/5 and 15/6 adopted a monitoring framework and an enhanced multidimensional approach to planning, monitoring, reporting, and review with a view to enhancing implementation of the CBD and GBF.

A robust framework will be key to implementing the goals of the GBF and positioning countries to fulfill their respective targets. Over the last two years, Parties and a Technical Expert Group on Indicators have been working together to fill the gaps left in the framework adopted at COP16 so every target can be effectively monitored. Countries will need to adopt the updated version to facilitate immediate monitoring and reporting on the goals and targets in the GBF.

Resource mobilization is key

Efforts to address the biodiversity loss crisis are still underfunded to the tune of USD 700 billion per year.

Targets 18 and 19 of the GBF reflect a holistic approach to closing this biodiversity financing gap through a combination of new resources (~USD 200 billion/year) and eliminating/redirecting negative financial flows and subsidies (~USD 500 billion/year).

At COP16, countries will adopt a resource mobilization strategy for 2025–2030 aligned with the commitments made in GBF targets 18 and 19. Among the most pressing elements of this discussion will be the reform of government subsidies—financial support given to industries to lower their costs in sectors like agriculture, energy, and mining. Unfortunately, many of these subsidies end up funding activities that harm ecosystems, such as deforestation and overfishing. The resource mobilization strategy at COP16 should give governments, business organizations, and others the clear guidance they need to identify and repurpose subsidies for industries that drive biodiversity loss. The successful adoption of a long-term resource mobilization strategy should also show greater ambition to mobilize public, private, and philanthropic capital at the scale and speed necessary to meet the goals of the GBF and also secure direct access to resources for Indigenous communities.

Finding common ground on climate

With the UN climate conference (COP29) set to take place just days after COP16, it is critical that we work together to reverse biodiversity loss and limit global warming to 1.5°C. Target 8 of the GBF, pursuant to which countries committed to "minimize the impact of climate change and ocean acidification on biodiversity and increase resilience through mitigation, adaptation, and disaster risk reduction actions," directly addresses the climate crisis.

There needs to be an understanding that this is a common struggle, and continuing with a silo mentality will be to our detriment. Critically, there must be improved collaboration to align national biodiversity and climate action in NBSAPs and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

We are seeing Parties inching along in addressing these key issues in the lead-up to COP16, but far from the scale and speed needed to reverse our current trajectory and meet our international targets. The keys to a brighter future are within our reach, but we must understand the urgency of the crisis and that the status quo is not a viable option.