COP16 Elevates Nature Protection to Global Priority

AFP/APP

Cali, Colombia: The world’s largest nature protection conference, COP16 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, is underway, with a renewed emphasis on biodiversity loss being treated with the same urgency as the climate crisis.

In an interview with AFP, Colombia’s Environment Minister and conference president, Susana Muhamad, emphasized that elevating biodiversity to this level is a significant achievement of the gathering.

Attracting a record 23,000 delegates and 1,200 journalists, COP16 has created a vibrant atmosphere in Cali, complemented by thousands of activists and locals participating in cultural events and demonstrations in the “green zone.”

Themed “Peace with Nature,” the conference aims to develop monitoring and funding strategies to meet the 23 nature protection goals established in Canada two years ago.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, alongside six heads of state and 115 ministers, is expected to attend the conference, underscoring the global commitment to biodiversity.

Muhamad highlighted the need for increased financial resources for the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) to effectively support these initiatives.

She called on developed nations to reinforce their commitment to meeting development financing targets, emphasizing that unlocking additional funding is crucial for the future of biodiversity protection.