Voices and vows at COP16: A stage for people, or for power?

Nature’s COP

Having been reported as the most dangerous country for environmentalists and land rights defenders, the home of the Amazon, Colombia, is hosting the 16th UN Conference on Biological Diversity. Nearly 200 countries alongside thousands of representatives are converging in Cali, Colombia from 21 October to 1 November 2024. At COP16, hailed as the “COP of the People,” countries are assessing global, regional, and domestic progress in increasing funding for biodiversity and discuss plans to halt biodiversity loss by the end of the decade.

• ^{More than 1,700 environmental activists have been killed this century - Global Witness Annual Report}
• ^{WWF’s 2024 Living Planet Report report reveals 73% decline in monitored wildlife population since 1970 with terrestrial and marine species seeing 69% and 56% decline, respectively}

This conference matters, with the theme “Peace with Nature.” But is nature truly at peace with us, as we fight each other and detain those who protect it? If nature is life, then people silencing “leading voices and champions” are in favour of our demise. Yet, COP needs to be held. 

Why it matters 

COP16 is the first global meeting after the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework on Biodiversity (GFB) in 2022. This historic strategy outlines 4 goals and 23 targets to halt and reverse global biodiversity loss by 2030 while ensuring humans live in harmony with nature by 2050. Since COP15, the world has been working on the “30x30 target” - to protect 30 percent of the world's land and water by 2030.

Policy and action: where we stand 

Despite receiving less attention compared to meetings about climate, leaders have planned to raise awareness on the implications of decarbonization at the expense of the natural world. Health and wellbeing, including businesses, will be affected if member states do not act and report progress. The top issues on the agenda include:

• Human rights protection - The Global Framework on Biodiversity (GFB) includes many human rights safeguards, however member states must agree to a robust mechanism to monitor and enforce it. In Paraguay, approximately 600 evicted indigenous families of the Ava Paranaense (Guaraní) depend on the UN’s decision to enforce the protection of families vulnerable to conservation-induced migration

• Biodiversity finance - A crucial target of the Global Framework on Biodiversity involves mobilizing $200 billion per year for biodiversity from all sources, including $30 billion through international finance. Domestic resource mobilization, leveraging private finance and promotion of blended finance are key components to discuss and enforce

• Release of the high-level principles for the biodiversity credits market - The highly anticipated High-Level Principles for the Biodiversity Credits Market will be released at COP16, backed by the World Economic Forum, Biodiversity Credit Alliance, and the UK-France International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits

• Submission of national biodiversity plans - Before COP16, only 25 out of 195 countries submitted revised National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), which means about 13 percent of signatories. This reveals the need to evaluate member states’ commitment to protecting nature and to identify opportunities for technical support

The UNDP and the EU are collaborating to identify tools and opportunities for developing countries to secure funding for biodiversity protection and restoration.

Fungi's rise and biopiracy deal

A new chapter in conservation could begin as the UK and Chile propose fungi be recognized as a distinct realm for environmental protection, alongside animals and plants.

If adopted at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, this plan would grant mushrooms, mold, mildew, yeast, and lichen heightened status under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. The proposal aims to secure greater protection for these vital, yet often overlooked, organisms.

Moreover, the genetic wealth of coral reefs, rainforests, and other ecosystems is fuelling breakthroughs in medicine, food, and materials science. Yet, many in the global south feel sidelined, accusing companies of "biopiracy" for exploiting their natural resources without fair compensation.

At COP16, nations will negotiate a landmark agreement to address this. If successful, it could open a new, lucrative funding stream for conservation from the use of nature’s genetic data.

Going forward

As all eyes focus on Cali, human rights protection must go hand in hand with nature's protection and restoration. Recent reports revealing the killing of 196 environmentalists and land activists worldwide in 2023 are truly alarming. It makes no sense that people are victimized by the responses to biodiversity loss. At COP16, countries’ commitment and performances will be scrutinized to determine next steps and the world cannot afford to lose a higher percentage of its biodiversity.

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