Hopes for a decisive step forward in the fight to protect the planet’s biodiversity were dashed last weekend as the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, ended in disarray. Negotiations, which ran overtime, collapsed on Saturday morning, leaving many countries frustrated and the future of nature hanging in the balance.
The primary goal of COP16 was to assess countries’ progress towards achieving the ambitious targets set at the previous COP, which aimed to protect 30% of the world’s land and water by 2030. However, the summit failed to deliver on this critical task. Countries failed to agree on concrete plans for implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and securing the necessary funding to achieve these ambitious goals.
“This COP was meant to be a status check on countries’ progress toward saving nature, and all indicators on that status are blinking red,” says Crystal Davis, global director of the World Resources Institute’s food, land and water programme. “The primary concern is that countries are not on track to protect 30 percent of the world’s land and water by 2030. Without conserving the most critical ecosystems, the consequences for all countries will be immense.”
The lack of agreement on funding mechanisms and the failure to implement a strategy for raising money for the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) were particularly concerning. While some new contributions were announced, the total amount raised falls far short of the $200 billion per year needed to achieve the GBF’s goals.
“Finance remains the key sticking point,” says WRI’s Davis. “Most of the world’s biodiversity lies in developing countries that reasonably expect billions rather than millions to support their efforts to protect and restore nature.”
Despite the overall disappointment, there were some positive developments. Governments agreed on a global levy on companies profiting from nature’s genetic data, a move that could generate significant funding for conservation efforts. This Digital Sequence Information (DSI) fund will require pharmaceutical and chemical companies to contribute a portion of their profits to nature conservation, with a focus on supporting Indigenous communities.
Another significant win was the establishment of a permanent body for Indigenous peoples within the UN biodiversity process. This will give Indigenous communities, who are often at the forefront of conservation efforts, a stronger voice in decision-making and ensure their vital knowledge and practices are incorporated into policy.
The summit also saw progress on defining Ecologically Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in the oceans, bringing the world closer to its goal of protecting 30% of the seas by 2030.
While these positive developments offer some hope, the overall outcome of COP16 is undeniably disappointing. The lack of progress on funding and implementation strategies raises serious concerns about the future of global biodiversity conservation. The urgency of the climate and biodiversity crises demands more decisive action, and the international community must find ways to overcome the political and financial obstacles that have hampered progress.
“The pace of COP16 negotiations did not reflect the urgency of the crisis we are facing,” says Catherine Weller, director of global policy at Fauna & Flora. “Two years on, the vast majority of nature targets agreed in Montreal [during COP15] regrettably currently still feel like unfunded words on paper.”
As the world prepares for COP29, the next UN climate conference, the need for a coordinated and comprehensive approach to tackling the intertwined climate and biodiversity crises is more pressing than ever. The international community must recognize that nature is fundamental to climate solutions and ensure that biodiversity is at the forefront of all climate-related decisions.
The path forward requires a significant shift in mindset and action. Governments must prioritize nature conservation, mainstream biodiversity and climate goals into sectoral policies, and increase funding for conservation initiatives. The private sector, philanthropists, and NGOs must also play a crucial role in supporting these efforts. The time for action is now. The future of our planet depends on it.
