Under the motto of “Peace with Nature,” the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) is taking place from October 21 to November 1, 2024 in Cali, Colombia. This conference – the first to be held since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in 2022 – is bringing together scientists, representatives of government, international organizations, civil society and other key stakeholders to discuss global challenges for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), as a United Nations regional organization, will be a key participant in the discussions on policies for protecting biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean – one of the richest regions in terms of biological diversity. ECLAC will stress the importance of integrating environmental sustainability into social and economic development strategies and promoting public policies that would align biodiversity conservation with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The issues that ECLAC will address at the COP16 include:
In addition to his participation in the thematic discussions, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, will participate in a series of high-level events, stressing the importance of biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean’s sustainable development.
During the COP16, Salazar-Xirinachs will serve as the main speaker, panelist and moderator in diverse sessions addressing the intersection of biodiversity, economics and climate finance (all times listed below refer to local time in Colombia):
1. Panelist in the closing session of Target 18: Creating the Right Incentives for a Nature-Positive Future (October 27, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.): At this event, participants will discuss progress on the attainment of Target 18 of the GBF, centered on reforming incentives that are harmful to biodiversity.
2. Panelist at an event on “The bioeconomy and its impact on climate change mitigation: Global bioeconomy alliance for the planet’s sustainability and economic growth for all” (October 28, 9:30 - 10:15 a.m.): This panel will promote a global circular bioeconomy alliance to accelerate policies and strategies for supporting biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. Salazar-Xirinachs will address the importance of the bioeconomy for the Latin America and Caribbean region, highlighting the economic opportunities offered by the transition to sustainable production models.
3. Moderator of the event “Public debt and Biodiversity loss: From tension to coherence. Panel Discussion: Impact of debt on biodiversity conservation" (October 28, 1:15 – 2:45 p.m.): ECLAC’s Executive Secretary will lead this discussion on the reforms needed in the international financial system to support biodiversity conservation and public debt management.
4. Main speaker at the presentation of the plan for implementing the Escazú Agreement in Chile (October 29, 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.): He will stress the importance of regional actions on access to justice and public participation in environmental matters.
5. Main speaker at the event "CAF, Latin America and the Caribbean’s Green Bank: Actions for a Cleaner and More Sustainable Region" (October 29, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.): He will share the main policy messages for addressing the climate and biodiversity crisis, and the financial actions promoted by CAF, emphasizing resource mobilization and the creation of strategic partnerships for moving forward on the energy transition and biodiversity preservation.
6. Main speaker at the UN Regional Commissions’ high-level side event: "Key actions for interregional and regional implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework" (October 29, 1:20 - 2:40 p.m.): This event organized in coordination with the five United Nations regional commissions stresses the commissions’ important role in implementing the GBF. There, the document "Mainstreaming Biodiversity and Investment Across Regions and Sectors" will be presented, which lays out the best practices, key messages and interregional actions needed to accelerate biodiversity conservation. Salazar-Xirinachs will address the importance of integrating biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean’s public policies, as well as how interregional partnerships can boost the impact of actions for pursuing sustainable development.
The five executive secretaries of the regional commissions delivered a message that can be watched in the following video: UN Regional Commission's High-level side event - COP 16 of the CBD
7. Main speaker at the High-level Segment of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (October 29, 2:30 – 3 p.m.): In this high-level segment, Salazar-Xirinachs will participate in dialogues regarding the actions and commitments underway to foster implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, aligning himself with the UN Secretary-General’s call to end the war that humanity is waging on nature.
8. Participant in the High-Level Thematic Ministerial Dialogue: “Urgent Action for Implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework” (October 29, 3 – 4:30 p.m.): The Executive Secretary will be part of the discussion on the main challenges for and progress on implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s global targets, emphasizing urgent actions and commitments on a national level. The outcomes will be presented at the closing session of the High-level Segment.
ECLAC’s participation in the COP16 reaffirms its commitment to biodiversity as a key driver of sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean. At numerous side events and panels, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary will point up the region’s leadership in the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), in promoting biodiversity as an essential pillar for the transition to a more equitable and sustainable development model. These spaces will be an opportunity to give more visibility to best practices and foster a transformative dialogue on how to turn conservation challenges into opportunities for economic and social development, in line with the goals of the GBF and the 2030 Agenda.
