The 16th Conference of the Parties to the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), known as COP16, starts today. Scheduled for October 21 to November 1, 2024, in the city of Cali, Colombia, this conference aims to tackle crucial issues surrounding biodiversity.
Although the biodiversity COP may not attract as much media attention as its climate change counterpart, its significance is undeniable. COP16 will unite government officials, scientists, NGOs, and representatives from the private sector to discuss and negotiate sustainable strategies for biodiversity protection and management. A standout feature of this year’s conference is its commitment to inclusivity, encouraging the participation of marginalized groups, including Indigenous peoples and local communities.
The agenda will be filled with plenary sessions where government leaders will explore key themes, specialized working groups tackling specific biodiversity challenges such as financing and progress monitoring, and side events designed to promote innovative conservation strategies. This gathering is all about collaboration and advancing global biodiversity goals.
Background
COP16 will be the first UN Biodiversity Conference following the adoption of the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) by 196 state parties at COP15 in 2022.
“Biodiversity is fundamental to human well-being, a healthy planet, and economic prosperity for all people, including for living well in balance and in harmony with Mother Earth. We depend on it for food, medicine, energy, clean air and water, security from natural disasters as well as recreation and cultural inspiration, and it supports all systems of life on Earth.”
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Annex, Article 1
In response to the ongoing biodiversity crisis and its threats to both nature and human well-being, the GBF aims to galvanize urgent action from governments and local authorities. Its goal is to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, with a long-term vision striving for harmony with nature by 2050. This aligns with the three core objectives of the CBD: conserving biological diversity, promoting the sustainable use of its components, and ensuring equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
To achieve these ambitious goals, the Framework outlines four long-term objectives related to the 2050 vision and 23 actionable global targets for the decade leading to 2030. COP16 will focus on how to realize these goals and targets, serving as a crucial roadmap for countries implementing their national biodiversity strategies.
Highlights to Watch for at COP16
Review of GBF Implementation
A key focus of COP16 will be assessing the progress made by countries in implementing the GBF. This evaluation will centre on the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), which countries are expected to update to align with the Framework´s goals and targets prior to COP16. As of early October 2024, only approximately 20 countries had completed these updates. Given the growing interconnectedness between biodiversity and climate change discussions, the assessment of the NBSAPs will likely also examine how these plans align with national adaptation strategies and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
Monitoring biodiversity loss is another critical issue for the effective implementation of the Framework. The GBF is accompanied by a detailed monitoring framework that includes a set of agreed indicators to track the status and trends of biological diversity, providing feedback for continually improving biodiversity management programmes. COP16 will address the work and recommendations of an ad hoc technical expert group (AHTEG) which was established with a time-bound mandate until the COP16, to advise on further operationalization of the monitoring framework.
Benefit-Sharing from Digital Sequence Information (DSI)
The third objective of the CBD focuses on the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the use of genetic resources, which are essential for developing products such as pharmaceuticals, vaccines and agricultural innovations. The CBD mandates obtaining consent from countries that host these resources and returning a share of the benefits to them, aiming to rectify historical injustices related to ownership and control of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and biotechnological advancements.
Digital Sequence Information (DSI), the digital representation of genetic sequences, can be easily shared and analysed for innovation without needing physical samples. This has significant implications for benefit-sharing under the Convention and the Nagoya Protocol. Without robust benefit-sharing mechanisms accompanying open access to DSI, achieving the CBD’s goal of fair and equitable benefit-sharing may become increasingly challenging, potentially undermining existing requirements.
At COP15, parties reached a milestone by agreeing to establish a multilateral mechanism for fair and equitable access and benefit sharing of DSI, including a global fund to collect and distribute revenues generated from its use. COP16 will focus on realizing this mechanism, determining the basis and modalities for contributions to the benefit-sharing fund, and establishing criteria for allocating these funds. While there is growing support for a sector-based approach requiring industries reliant on DSI—such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics—to contribute to the fund, discussions regarding contribution percentages and payment structures remain unresolved, highlighting potential challenges to the COP negotiations.
Resource Mobilization and Financial Mechanisms
While benefit-sharing from DSI is expected to generate significant revenue, it is unlikely to fully address the substantial shortfall in biodiversity financing. The Global Biodiversity Framework (target 19) aims to raise international financial flows from developed to developing countries to at least US$ 20 billion per year by 2025 and to at least US$ 30 billion per year by 2030. Additionally, it seeks to mobilize at least US$ 200 billion per year in domestic and international biodiversity-related funding from all sources—public and private—by 2030. COP16 discussions will therefore tackle additional financing mechanisms needed to meet the conservation needs outlined in the GBF.
Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities
COP16 will place a strong emphasis on implementing Article 8(j) and related provisions of the CBD concerning Indigenous peoples and local communities. Article 8(j) highlights the essential role of traditional knowledge in biodiversity conservation and emphasizes the need to respect, preserve and ensure the equitable participation of Indigenous peoples in decision-making processes.
To improve the effective application of this article, the CBD established a Programme of Work on Traditional Knowledge in 2000, along with a Working Group that operated under a 20-year mandate to guide efforts aligned with Article 8(j). With the conclusion of this mandate, Indigenous peoples, represented by the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity and supported by Convention parties, have initiated the formation of a permanent Subsidiary Body of the Convention that will integrate Indigenous knowledge into the CBD’s work.
While there are encouraging developments concerning the inclusion of Indigenous voices at COP16, it remains to be seen how effectively these commitments will translate into tangible actions and outcomes during the conference. The negotiations will ultimately determine whether a stable and influential Subsidiary Body is established or if a new ad hoc Programme of Work is created to guide the implementation of Article 8(j) in relation to both the CBD and the GBF.
Corporate Accountability
Finally, it will be interesting to see how Target 15 of the Framework translates into actionable commitments, especially in light of the new European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). This directive, which entered into force in July, imposes increased responsibilities on companies concerning their environmental and human rights impacts. Given that Target 15 encourages parties to implement legal, administrative, or policy measures that prompt businesses, transnational companies, and financial institutions to regularly monitor, assess, and transparently disclose their risks, dependencies, and impacts on biodiversity, COP16 could establish new guidelines or requirements for corporate conduct. Such measures could significantly enhance accountability and sustainability in biodiversity conservation, underscoring the urgency for a critical shift in how businesses engage with these issues.
Summary
COP16 is set to be a crucial event for advancing global biodiversity efforts. The conference offers a vital opportunity for the global community to turn the aspirations of the Global Biodiversity Framework into actionable steps to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. Key negotiations will centre on complex—and potentially contentious—issues, particularly regarding the contribution modalities and allocation criteria for the Digital Sequence Information benefit-sharing fund. Ultimately, the success of COP16 will depend on strong commitments from both developed and developing countries, highlighting our collective responsibility and interest in protecting the planet’s biodiversity.
Author: Natalie Rosen
