The 16th Conference of the Parties to the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), known as COP16, begins today. Scheduled for October 21–November 1, 2024, in Cali, Colombia, the conference aims to address critical issues related to biodiversity. While the biodiversity COP may not attract as much media attention as its climate change counterpart, its importance is undeniable. COP16 will bring together representatives from governments, scientists, NGOs, and the private sector to discuss and negotiate sustainable strategies for the protection and management of biodiversity. A defining feature of this year’s conference is its commitment to inclusion, encouraging the participation of marginalized groups, including indigenous peoples and local communities. The agenda will be packed with plenary sessions where government leaders will explore key themes, specialized working groups will address specific biodiversity challenges such as financing and monitoring progress, and side events will be held to promote innovative conservation strategies. This gathering will focus on collaboration and advancing global biodiversity goals. Background
COP16 will be the first UN Conference on Biodiversity following the adoption of the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) by 196 Parties at COP15 in 2022.
Biodiversity is fundamental to human well-being, a healthy planet and the economic prosperity of all people, including living well in balance and harmony with Mother Earth. We depend on it for food, medicine, energy, clean air and water, security from natural disasters, as well as for recreation and cultural inspiration, and it underpins all life systems 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 Global Biodiversity Framework aims to galvanize urgent action by governments and local authorities. Its goal is to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, with a long-term vision that seeks harmony with nature by 2050. This is aligned with the three core objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): to conserve biological diversity, to promote the sustainable use of its components, and to ensure the fair sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources.
To achieve these ambitious goals, the Framework outlines four long-term objectives linked to the 2050 vision and 23 actionable global targets for the decade leading up to 2030. COP16 will focus on how to achieve these goals and targets, serving as a crucial roadmap for countries in implementing their national biodiversity strategies.
Key Issues to Watch at COP16
Review of the Implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework
A key focus of COP16 will be to assess the progress made by countries in implementing the GBF. This assessment will focus on National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSPSs), which countries are required to update to align with the Framework’s goals and targets ahead of COP16. As of early October 2024, only around 20 countries had completed these updates. Given the increasing interconnection between discussions on biodiversity and climate change, the assessment of the NBSPSs 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 system that includes a set of agreed indicators to track the status and trends of biological diversity, providing feedback for the continuous improvement of biodiversity management programmes. COP16 will address the work and recommendations of an ad hoc technical group of experts, which has been established with a temporary mandate until COP16, to advise on the further operationalization of the monitoring system.
Benefit Sharing of Digital Sequence Information
The third objective of the CBD focuses on the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources, which are essential for the development of products such as drugs, vaccines and agricultural innovations. The CBD requires obtaining consent from countries that host these resources and returning a share of the benefits to them, seeking to rectify historical injustices related to the ownership and control of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and biotechnological advances.
Digital Sequence Information (DSI), the digital representation of genetic sequences, can be easily shared and analyzed
