New York, September 23, 2024 – Less than a month before the start of the Conference of the Parties on Biodiversity (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad and Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo led the event 'Biodiversity and Peace: Colombia's Bets at COP16', where they launched the Peace with Nature Coalition to the world.
On October 29, during COP16, Colombia will officially present the Global Coalition Peace with Nature, a call for global action to rethink the way in which human beings relate to the environment for its care, protection and conservation, which began its consolidation in New York.
“We see a very important mobilizing potential towards action that comes, as the principle of the Kunming-Montreal Framework says, from the mobilization of the whole government and the whole society. It is not a problem of environment ministers to protect biodiversity and achieve its restoration, it is a purpose of the whole government and the whole society. But for this to be possible we need a massive mobilization, it is something very inspiring because it comes from a first sense that is to recover as human beings our connection with life and nature,” said Minister Muhamad.
This is an initiative of the Government of Colombia that seeks to generate awareness and global mobilization around environmental protection. This coalition will serve as a platform for action after COP16, seeking to involve governments and society in a joint effort for the preservation of nature.
In this manifesto, governments will commit, among other things, to promote the consolidation, strengthening and creation of new links between countries and regions, as well as stronger international cooperation and greater assistance to developing countries.
In the framework of the United Nations General Assembly the incoming president of COP16, Susana Muhamad, reiterated the stakes that Colombia will lead in the Conference of the Parties on Biological Diversity.
Unprecedented participation in COP16
At the United Nations, Minister Susana Muhamad held a press conference with the Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Astrid Schomaker, in which they announced a historic participation in COP16. More than 100 ministers and 12 heads of state, including leaders from Latin America, Africa and other regions, have confirmed their attendance, underscoring the growing political relevance of the event.
Muhamad stressed that COP16 will not only be a space for high-level discussion on biodiversity, but will also be a key venue to make visible the interconnection between biodiversity and the climate crisis. “We want to raise the profile of biodiversity within the global climate change agenda and we are achieving that goal,” she said.
For her part, the CBD Secretary praised Colombia's efforts as host country and highlighted the importance of COP16 as an implementation conference. “This is our first opportunity to assess where we are in terms of implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Framework. It will be a crucial political moment for biodiversity,” she concluded.
With the participation of more than 100 ministers, 12 heads of state, 14,000 international delegates and unprecedented global interest, COP16 promises to be a milestone in the fight for biodiversity and its integration into the world's political and economic agendas.
COP16 will also be notable for its focus on inclusion and participation of multiple sectors of society. Minister Muhamad mentioned that the Green Zone, a space for civil society, will be the largest in the history of biodiversity conferences, with more than 900 events organized by social movements, the private sector and international delegations. “We want this to be the COP of the people,” said Muhamad, who also highlighted the active participation of indigenous, Afro-descendant and peasant communities, and productive sectors.
Likewise, the incoming COP16 president confirmed that the Colombian government has coordinated a robust security plan in collaboration with the United Nations and other international agencies. More than 10,000 troops will be mobilized in the city to ensure the safety of attendees. “We are confident that COP16 will take place in a safe environment and we have implemented a comprehensive security plan to secure all areas where the conference will be held,” said the minister.
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