by: Kofi Don-Agor
Biodiversity is fundamental to human well-being, a healthy planet and economic prosperity for all, enabling us to live in balance and harmony with Mother Earth.
The Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), reflects the need to rethink our relationship with nature, to imagine an economic model that is not based on inequality, extraction, and overexploitation. This was the main message of the Colombian Presidency of CBD COP 16.
The official opening ceremony began with a welcome by Indigenous Peoples’ representatives, who call on delegates to “deliberate together as people who are dependent on and inhabitants of the Earth.”
A performance followed, showcasing dances and songs celebrating Colombia’s rich biocultural diversity. This spectacle underscored the intricate links and interdependencies between humanity, peace and nature. It also lamented the concentration of wealth among the top 1% globally, perpetuating violence, wars, fossil fuel-dependent economies and energy-intensive technologies like artificial intelligence, which jeopardize the delicate balance essential for survival.
High Level Statements
Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia, called for a “global revolution” for humanity and life. Pathways toward this revolution require decarbonization, different economic and financial arrangements, and reducing inequitable debt through “debt for climate action,” he said.
In a video message, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres noted that destroying nature increases conflicts and social inequities, and leads to climate change and cultural heritage loss. Underscoring the promise of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) to reset the relationship between nature and humans, he urged delegates to operationalize the multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources, and mobilize the financial resources needed to implement the GBF.
COP 15 President Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment of China, noted the COP 16 theme of peace with nature aligns with that of COP 15, “ecological civilization.” Highlighting the launch of the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, he invited COP16 delegates to work together to advance an effective, inclusive, and sustainable GBF.
The way forward is not through war but through working with the other,” Susana Muhamad, Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development, Colombia, stressed, achieving peace with nature requires more than implementation mechanisms, It requires a conceptual change towards a model of development that does not view nature as a resource but as the fiber of life. Drawing attention to the interlinkages between the climate and biodiversity crises, she stressed that decarbonization and recovery of nature need to happen at the same time.
On his part, Mr. Peter Derry, Director of Environment at the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation of Ghana, emphasized the importance of collaborative biodiversity conservation efforts in an interview with Climate Communications and Local Governance-Africa (CCLG-Africa). He expressed high expectations for COP16 outcomes, including:
1. Reviewing progress since COP15.
2. Identifying gaps.
3. Agreeing on decisions to address existing challenges, particularly for National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).
Key Objectives:
Progress on financing by developed countries, expected to meet the $25 billion annual target by 2025, addressing the financial gap hindering biodiversity conservation.
Digital Sequence Information (DSI), with Parties aiming to make progress on DSI, by ensuring equitable benefits from its use.
Implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF), by finishing unfinished business to ensure full implementation.
Consensus building is the key, and Parties must reconsider and reach consensus on contentious issues.
To achieve these objectives, COP16 must focus on:
Robust Implementation and facilitation processes by establishing effective implementation cycles, transparency and accountability mechanisms.
Stakeholder engagement and mainstreaming commitments into sectoral agendas, involving indigenous peoples, local communities and the private sector.
Aligning financial resources flows with biodiversity objectives, reforming harmful subsidies and financial mobilization
Ultimately, COP16 must seeks to adopt a global agreement driving sectoral transitions, conserve biodiversity and ensure equitable sharing of benefits.
