The world’s commitments to stop human destruction of nature will face a test when the 16th UN conference on biodiversity begins in Colombia on Monday.
COP16, occurring in Cali until November 1, is the first gathering of the global community since the adoption of an unprecedented roadmap two years ago to achieve this objective.
However, implementing this agreement may not be fast enough to prevent the destruction of land, oceans, and species by the target date of 2030.
How will COP16 ensure that countries meet the 23 targets of the “Global Biodiversity Framework”? Can it secure the billions of dollars required? Can it protect the rights of Indigenous peoples?
Here is a summary of what is at risk:
– Fulfilling commitments –
Establishing protected areas, replenishing depleted land, reducing pesticide use, and increasing funding for nature — few of the goals set by humanity for 2020 have been met.
To avoid a repeat of this failure, countries agreed at COP15 to establish a monitoring mechanism with common indicators to track progress and a potential review process.
However, the specifics of this mechanism, essential for holding countries accountable, are yet to be finalized.
Negotiating this will be the top priority at COP16 for its host country Colombia, which aims to be a leader in the global conservation efforts.
However, financial negotiations will also be crucial.
– Ensuring national plans –
As of mid-October, only 29 out of 196 countries had submitted national biodiversity strategies to reflect their contribution to the global efforts.
And 91 have submitted “national targets” or commitments to some or all of the objectives, according to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
Several countries may unveil their plans in Cali, with a keen interest in those of Colombia and Brazil.
Around 12,000 delegates, including seven heads of state, are expected to attend COP16.
A key focus will be the primary target of the global framework: protecting at least 30 percent of land and sea areas by 2030.
As of September, 8.35 percent of seas and 17.5 percent of land were considered protected, according to the WWF, indicating only a slight increase from 2022.
– Unlocking funding –
The commitment of developed countries to finance the efforts of developing nations will be a central topic in Cali.
Developed countries have pledged to provide $20 billion annually for biodiversity by 2025 and $30 billion by 2030.
By 2022, $15.4 billion had been raised, as per the OECD.
Developing countries will also push for the creation of an autonomous fund, a contentious issue for rich nations opposed to multiple funds.
To attract private investment, biodiversity credits will also be a significant issue.
– Biopiracy –
“Biopiracy” — the exploitation of genetic resources without the consent of those preserving traditional knowledge — is a complex issue in negotiations.
Since 2014, the Nagoya Protocol has enabled payment for each use of genetic resources or traditional knowledge.
However, these resources have mostly benefitted rich economies through digitized genetic sequences or DSI (Digital Sequence Information).
Developing countries are keen to resolve this, and an agreement on a global profit-sharing scheme could be reached in Cali.
But which companies will contribute? Will it be voluntary or mandatory? And how will the funds be distributed?
“If a mandatory contribution of 0.1 percent is adopted, this could potentially mean a billion dollars,” said Sebastien Treyer, executive director of the French think tank Iddri.
– Indigenous populations –
Indigenous communities are well represented in biodiversity COPs but often feel let down by the final decisions.
This year, they aim to use the summit near the Amazon to have their rights and ancestral knowledge recognized after years of neglect and displacement.
