From October 21 to November 1, Cali will become the epicenter of the most important event Colombia has hosted in the last 50 years: the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16).
The beginning: the three Rio Conventions
In 1992, during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, three key agreements were established to coordinate international efforts to address global environmental problems:
- The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: This is the most well-known summit on environmental issues, bringing together 196 countries and the European Union. It establishes a global framework to address climate change, with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting global warming.
The Paris Agreement, reached at COP21 in 2015, represents a global commitment to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, with efforts to keep it below 1.5 degrees.
- The Convention on Biological Diversity: It is the most important event in the world to conserve biodiversity. It is held every two years and unites 196 countries.
The Kunming Montreal Framework, adopted during COP15 in Canada, is a key milestone in the protection of global biodiversity. Its main objective is to protect 30% of the planet, including terrestrial, marine and freshwater areas, by converting them into protected areas by the end of this decade. In addition, the Framework places strong emphasis on the restoration and protection of critical ecosystems, such as rainforests and wetlands, which are essential for biodiversity and climate balance. The agreement also includes commitments on the sustainable use of natural resources and ensuring that the benefits derived from genetic resources are shared fairly and equitably, in particular to the communities that are the custodians of those resources.
- The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification: This convention addresses the prevention of desertification and land degradation, with the aim of promoting the sustainable management of land resources and improving the resilience of areas affected by drought. Adopted in 1994, this summit is the only legally binding international agreement that links the environment and sustainable development with the management and restoration of drylands, which represent one third of the planet's land surface
All three are interrelated and aim at the same global objective, the protection of the environment to address the triple planetary crisis: climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
2024 marks an unprecedented year for the United Nations conventions, as for the first time, all three will be held within days of each other:
- COP16 on biodiversity, organized by Colombia, will be held in Cali from October 21 to November 1.
- COP29 on climate change will be held in Baku (Azerbaijan), from November 11 to 22.
- COP16 on desertification will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from December 2 to 13.
As highlighted by the Colombian Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development and next president of the COP16 on Biodiversity, Susana Muhamad: “The success of these agreements lies in their implementation and in the capacity of the parties to act to address the triple crisis. The COPs cannot be a way to continue negotiating commitments, we have already reached historic agreements for the protection of the planet and therefore, we must generate the mechanisms for their implementation”.
What has been Colombia's role in these conventions?
Colombia is part of these three important spaces for discussion and decision making to face the triple planetary crisis. The Government of Change has placed on the international discussion agenda proposals to face this crisis. The debt swap for climate action and the establishment of a loss and damage fund are some of the initiatives that, under the leadership of President Gustavo Petro and Minister Susana Muhamad, the National Government has managed to position.
In addition, this year, Colombia will host the COP16 on biodiversity, to be held between October 21 and November 1, 2024 in Cali.
Minister Susana Muhamad has brought to the international stage the proposal to unify the climate change and biodiversity agendas to more effectively address the climate crisis and biodiversity loss, addressing both challenges in an integrated manner.
About COP16 on Biodiversity
COP (Conference of the Parties) stands for Conference of the Parties and is the name given to the meetings of the countries that make decisions for their respective convention and has its own procedures and agendas, although they all share the common objective of protecting the global environment.
The number 16, on the other hand, indicates that it is the sixteenth meeting of the parties (or countries) that have ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity.
COP16 will seek to advance the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework for Biodiversity, a global plan to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. COP16 will also serve as a space to promote international cooperation and strengthen global environmental policies.
Colombia, host of COP16
Colombia was selected to host COP16 due to its commitment to biodiversity conservation and its leadership in the global environmental agenda. In addition, the country is recognized as one of the most biodiverse in the world. The choice of Colombia as host of this event highlights the importance of the region in the global biodiversity agenda and highlights the fundamental role it plays in the protection of ecosystems.
The city of Cali has been chosen as the venue for COP16 because of its strategic location in one of Colombia's most biodiverse regions. The Cauca Valley, where Cali is located, is home to a wide variety of ecosystems, from mountains to wetlands and tropical forests. This unique biological diversity makes Cali an ideal setting to discuss and make decisions on biodiversity conservation at a global level, highlighting the need to protect these vital ecosystems.
Three major milestones at biodiversity COPs
Throughout history, biodiversity summits have witnessed several important milestones:
- COP1, held in 1994 in Nassau (Bahamas), laid the foundations for the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
- COP10 adopted the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Targets in 2010 in Nagoya (Japan).
- COP15, held two years ago in Canada, adopted the historic Kunming-Montreal Global Framework for Biodiversity, an agreement that sets ambitious targets for biodiversity conservation over the next decade.
4 Comments