Cop16 at a glance- the big issues that will define talks at Colombia’s UN summit

Delegates from 196 countries are currently engaged in discussions focused on biodiversity preservation. What are the main challenges they face?

As the 16th UN Conference of the Parties (COP16) kicks off in Cali, Colombia, representatives from nearly 200 nations gather for this critical biodiversity summit. This is the first meeting centered on biodiversity since the historic 2022 agreement aimed at halting ecosystem destruction. Scientists, Indigenous leaders, business stakeholders, and environment ministers are expected to address progress toward meeting established targets, as well as negotiate monitoring methods.

So, is the landmark Kunming-Montreal agreement still on track? Historically, these summits have been defined by major international agreements. In the climate context, the 2015 Paris Agreement serves as a guiding framework, while for biodiversity, the Kunming-Montreal agreement established 23 targets and four goals aimed at preserving nature within this decade. The pressing question is whether countries will take concrete steps to implement these agreements. Historically, the UN biodiversity process has been plagued by underachievement, with countries struggling to meet self-imposed targets. This decade represents a chance for change, as nations are expected to unveil their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) in Colombia.

While initial reports suggest that over 80% of countries may arrive at the summit without concrete commitments, some nations, particularly those with rich biodiversity like Brazil, claim they are developing complex, long-term strategies. The summit’s final tally of NBSAPs will be a significant indicator of how earnestly governments are approaching their commitments.

Another crucial aspect of this summit is financing. Developing nations have expressed urgent needs for financial support to achieve conservation targets, demanding significant increases in funding as part of the agreements. At COP15 in Montreal, governments pledged a minimum of $30 billion annually for nature by the decade’s end, with a preliminary target of $20 billion by 2025. With this milestone approaching, fresh financial commitments from wealthy nations will be a key indicator of whether promises made are being honored.

A contentious point of discussion at COP16 will be biopiracy. Rich ecosystems like coral reefs and rainforests are treasure troves of genetic information that could pave the way for future commercial breakthroughs. However, there is rising resentment from countries in the Global South regarding profit-sharing from these developments, leading many to label companies that exploit genetic resources without fair compensation as “biopirates.” Negotiations at COP16 aim to establish a pioneering agreement to address this issue, potentially creating a lucrative revenue stream for conservation from genetic data.

The role of Indigenous groups in these discussions is also significant. They are mentioned numerous times in the targets set for reversing biodiversity loss, a recognition that many view as a hard-earned victory after decades of exclusion. However, skepticism remains among Indigenous communities regarding the implications of these nature restoration targets on their land rights and traditional practices.

As the host nation, Colombia has an additional agenda: leveraging COP16 to foster peace amidst ongoing conflicts. President Gustavo Petro’s administration sees the summit as an opportunity to fortify the peace established in a 2016 accord with former guerrilla groups. Although threats against the summit were issued by some factions, the government views this as a chance to solidify a long-term peace framework, encapsulated in the summit’s theme of “Peace with Nature.”

Finally, while ambitious goals have been set, there is still an outstanding question regarding how progress will be measured. While tracking financial commitments and land protections is relatively straightforward, assessing trends in species decline, biodiversity density, and sustainable resource management is far more complex, leading to ongoing debates over appropriate metrics.

Stay tuned for updates as the summit unfolds, and for insights from biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield.