ECOticias.com consulted the Embassy of Colombia in Spain and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, who informed us about the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity – COP16 which will be held in the city of Cali from October 21 to November 1, 2024.
COP16 headquarters
Why was Colombia chosen as the headquarters of the… COP16?
Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world. It is home to more than 50,000 species, with almost 31 million hectares protected, equivalent to 15% of the national territory. The selection of Colombia as host country of the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), reflects its commitment to combating biodiversity loss and conserving, protecting and restoring life to our ecosystems.
Cali, the host city of COP16is furthermore a bastion of the biological and cultural diversity that exists in Colombia, which has the historical wealth of our resilience as Colombians, a value rooted in our identity as a land of beauty.
Colombian proposal
What is your proposal when you invite other countries to form the World Coalition for Peace with Nature?
The World Coalition for Peace with Nature is a voluntary initiative of the Colombian government, calling for action to guide national and international efforts around a balanced relationship with nature. This initiative aims to ensure global sustainability through the conservation, restoration and responsible use of nature biodiversity.
Recognize that the planet is facing a critical environmental crisisand underlines the importance of a harmonious coexistence between people and the environment, for the benefit of current and future generations, while reaffirming the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
The coalition wants to emphasize the necessity of this collective action from all sectors of societyincluding states, international organizations, civil society and the private sector. Promotes the integration of traditional knowledge and practices of indigenous peoples, local communities and Afro-descendants, as key actors for the protection of biodiversity.
In addition, underlines the relevance of education, international cooperation and social justice as pillars to address environmental challenges and achieve peace with nature, emphasizing that there can be no sustainable development without peace, nor peace without sustainable development.
Green and blue zones
What are the green and blue zones of the COP16 And what participation is expected in each?
COP16 is also called the ‘People’s COP’. For the first time in the history of CBD conferences, there will be a space dedicated to bringing the COP closer to citizens. The “Green Zone” will be open to the participation of civil society, NGOs, the private sector and the general public.
More than 1,152 academic events, 280 cultural activities and 4 citizen participation routes are expected to take place, in addition to a green business fair and various exhibitions. The green area is located on the Boulevard del Ríoin the heart of Cali, just 14 km from the Valle del Pacífico Convention Center, where the negotiations will take place.
On the other hand, The ‘blue zone’ is the area under the jurisdiction of the United Nationswhere the negotiations of the Conference of the Parties will take place. It also includes ten major forums to involve civil society in decisions that affect them. We will have forums for indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants and local communities, for women, for children and youth, for the scientific community, for parliamentarians and for businesses and the financial sector.
In addition to the official negotiations and forums, parallel events on key topics in this area will be held. presentations of scientific reports, and bilateral and multilateral meetings.
It will be the main stage for negotiations on defining strategies and policies aimed at preserving and preserving biodiversity. The area will count with 2 plenary rooms, 23 meeting rooms for negotiators, 14 offices for national delegationsas well as a media room and a press conference room.
COP16 Presidency
Who is Susana Muhamad González and why was she elected president of the COP16?
The presidency of the COP16 will be in charge of the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, Susana Muhamaduntil the start of COP17 in 2026. Minister Muhamad is one of the most influential and progressive environmental voices in Colombia, notable for her firm commitment to environmental protection, sustainable development and climate justice.
The focus is on the conservation of biodiversity and hair leadership in international forums on climate change They have played an important role in amplifying the voices of local communities, especially indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, in global debates.
With a solid track record in both Colombian politics and environmental governance, the Minister has the experience and credibility needed to lead the complex international negotiations that will take place in the future. COP16.
His appointment reflects Colombia’s commitment to take this on a leading role in the global environmental agendaseeking to facilitate key multilateral agreements for the protection of biodiversity and long-term sustainability.
Outlook for COP16
What are the prospects for formal, practical and enforceable agreements expected during the course of the conference?
Colombia has worked in an articulate and strategic manner so that the outcomes of this conference are as ambitious as possible. Be part of recognition of the urgency of greater action and the efficient implementation of international obligationsand to respond to the calls of science to respond in a coherent and decisive manner to the crisis facing humanity.
In the negotiating processes of this conference, we hope to achieve ambitious results consistent with the urgency demanded not only by the EU the global crisis of biodiversity loss, but also the negative consequences of climate change.
Las Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, COP16will have an ambitious work agenda in front of them, which will require the utmost political will, as well as flexibility and good faith on the part of all negotiators.
Loose The results of COP16 will provide us with more effective tools to implement our National Biodiversity Action Plans, make progress towards the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and agree on commitments on innovative and effective financial mechanisms, capacity building, fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from sustainable use of natural resources, promoting effective conservation approaches and involving indigenous peoples, local communities and Afro-descendants in decision-making, among other important issues.
This conference marks a milestone in environmental multilateralism, where the parties have begun to imagine and design what could be a thematic convergence between different negotiating spaces, including COP16 on biodiversity and desertification, and COP29 and 30 on climate change.
Mainstreaming biodiversity into other sectors and promoting synergies between the Convention on Biological Diversity and other agendas such as those on climate change, desertification, chemicals, healthcare, trade and intellectual property are crucial and we expect tangible results. We face the challenge of translating global environmental protection narratives into practical and coherent actions that facilitate the implementation of obligations at national and local levels.
Colombia will make available all its physical, technical, political and diplomatic resources to ensure that the expectations raised in this conference are met and that we achieve the most ambitious negotiating outcomes possible.
From ECOticias.com we will discuss the vicissitudes of the COP16in the certainty that the entire world has pinned its hopes on the meaning, relevance and applicability of its conclusions and mandates. Biodiversity deserves it and the planet needs it.