COP16 in Cali: Biodiversity Conservation Conference kicks off

The COP16 kicked off yesterday in Cali, Colombia, marking a historic moment: it is the first time that the Conference of the Parties on Biodiversity is being held in South America. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which originated at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, aims to protect biological diversity and promote its sustainable use, as well as to ensure the fair sharing of benefits derived from genetic resources. With the slogan 'Peace with Nature', this edition invites us to reflect on our relationship with the environment and to rethink an economic model that overcomes the exploitation and pollution of nature. The aim is to establish new strategies and concrete commitments for conservation, addressing environmental challenges in a coordinated manner.

The COP16 represents an important milestone following the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework Kunming-Montreal, a historic agreement reached during COP15 in 2022. The Framework calls for the protection of 30 per cent of terrestrial and marine biodiversity by 2030, respecting the rights of indigenous and local communities. During this conference, participating countries will have to demonstrate how their national biodiversity plans are aligned with the Framework and discuss further developments to monitor progress. In addition, COP16 will work to finalise the benefit-sharing mechanism for the use of digital genetic information, ensuring an equitable approach to natural resource management.

With over 21,000 pre-registered delegates and representatives from more than 190 nations, COP16 is shaping up to be the largest summit in the history of biodiversity. The Colombia, known for its extraordinary biological richness, is the ideal setting for an event of this magnitude. Susana Muhamad, Minister of the Environment and incoming president of COP16, said the event sends a strong message from Latin America to the world, drawing attention to the importance of preserving life on our planet. Her statement highlights the country's commitment to conservation and willingness to take concrete action to address the global challenges of biodiversity and climate change.

During his speech, Muhamad pointed out that the intensive extraction of natural resources contributes to about 50 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and is responsible for 90 per cent of the diversity loss. The solution, he said, lies in the restoration of ecosystems, which could contribute up to 40% to climate stabilisation. COP16 therefore offers an opportunity to strengthen the link between biodiversity conservation and climate action, integrating the two strategies to create a development model that respects nature and prevents it from becoming a permanent victim of economic development. The summit aims to turn this approach into a globally widespread practice.

COP16 opened with the launch of the Biodiversity Action Plan to 2030, an environmental public policy tool that aims to help achieve the 23 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework. The plan envisages 191 concrete actions to counteract the biodiversity loss globally by 2030, with initiatives including the development of 50 social-ecological projects, the productive conversion of 3 million hectares and the implementation of 10-year biodiversity plans for local communities. It involves 15 ministries, the business sector and representatives of indigenous and local communities, promoting dialogue between governments and civil society. The plan sets out 269 additional actions proposed by various social groups, with a planned investment of 76.5 billion pesos from public, private and international sources. There are also 23 regional pacts and 8 differential pacts to adapt initiatives to different territorial needs.

3Bee, the nature tech company that develops innovative technologies for monitoring, protecting and regenerating biodiversity, will take part in COP16 in Cali, scheduled from 21 October to 1 November 2024, together with Renewable Matter, the international bioeconomy and circular economy journal. During the event, we will provide daily updates in collaboration with Materia Rinnovabile via the #COP16to16 column, focusing on concrete actions and practices that can contribute to the protection of biodiversity. We will closely follow the negotiations on key issues such as the Global Biodiversity Framework, Digital Sequence Information (DSI) and biodiversity finance, with the aim of exploring opportunities for collaboration and implementation of strategies that can accelerate the adoption of innovative solutions for ecosystem preservation and long-term sustainability.

3Bee will be present at COP16 with Virginia Castellucci, Head of Sustainability & Advocacy, to hold pitches and present the 3Bee Environmental Platform. The first at the Energy Transition promoting Biodiversity Conservation event, to be held on 25 October from 10-11am at the Cali Cultural Center, chaired by the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organisation. The second at the Reimagining Nature with the Nature Tech Collective event, to be held on 30 October from 9am to 10am in Blue Zone, at the Nature Positive Pavilion, chaired by the NGO Nature Tech Collective.