Colombia Hosts COP16 Nearly 200 Countries Engage in Dialogue

The two-week United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP16) commenced today in Colombia, bringing together environmental leaders from nearly 200 countries to evaluate historic commitments aimed at halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity. This significant gathering follows the signing of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework by 196 countries, an ambitious treaty designed to protect the planet’s diverse ecosystems.

Conference  

• COP16 officially began in Colombia, focusing on global biodiversity protection.

Participation

• Nearly 200 countries, including environmental leaders and policymakers, are expected to attend.

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework 

• This treaty was signed by 196 countries to safeguard biodiversity and is a central theme of the conference.

Conference Objectives

• Delegates in Cali will discuss strategies to combat the rapid rate of destruction of natural habitats and ensure compliance with the 2022 biodiversity accord.
• Countries are expected to commit to setting aside 30% of their territories for conservation purposes and to reduce subsidies for businesses that negatively impact the environment.
• The conference aims to establish mandatory reporting for companies on their environmental impact, promoting transparency and accountability.
• Countries were expected to submit their biodiversity plans by the start of the summit, but as of Friday, only 31 out of 195 countries had filed plans with the UN biodiversity secretariat.

Opening Remarks

• Colombia’s Environment Minister and COP16 President, Susana Muhamad, emphasized the conference’s importance as a platform to share experiences from diverse cultures and civilizations, aiming to create stable and livable conditions for future societies in light of the ongoing environmental crisis.

Implementation Review

• Governments will assess their progress in aligning National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) with the framework.

Monitoring Framework Development

• COP16 aims to enhance the monitoring framework for biodiversity and advance resource mobilization for the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Digital Sequence Information

• The conference is set to finalize a multilateral mechanism for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources.

About United Nations Biodiversity Conference

• The UN Biodiversity Conference is the regular meeting of the countries who have signed (and are therefore ‘parties to’) the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• CBD is an international agreement for conserving biodiversity with the vision of “living in harmony with nature by 2050”.
• The convention was adopted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992.
• The first Conference of the Parties to the convention (COP 1) took place in Nassau, Bahamas in 1994.
• The COP is the arena for international governments to meet and review progress on the convention and establish new measures needed to support its goals.

Objectives

• The conservation of biological diversity,
• The sustainable use of its components,
• The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits of biological diversity.

How many countries are part of the Convention on Biological Diversity?

• A total of 196 countries (including India) are party to the Convention on Biological Diversity – although the United States is notably absent.
• Each country is required to set National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) detailing how the principles of the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources will be integrated into their country’s national policies.

Secretariat 

• The CBD Secretariat is based in Montreal, Canada.