COP16 Continues: Global Greens Urge Urgent Action

COP16 in Cali, Colombia last year saw big steps forward in better protection of biodiversity – the web of nature that underpins all life on Earth.

Amongst much else, justice issues were tackled with decisions on Digital Sequencing Information (DSI) and what’s called the Cali Fund – to share company profits on gains made from genetic information on plants – usually Global North multinationals profiting from Global South endemic species.

Rights issues were brought to the front too, these included a programme of work on Article 8(j) through to 2030 and the creation of a permanent subsidiary body on Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) under the CBD. 

Article 8(j) mandates that parties to the CBD “respect, preserve and maintain” the knowledge of IPLCs related to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, and to “encourage the equitable sharing of benefits” from this knowledge. 

COP16 Continues in Rome

However, the COP ran out of time and quorum before key issues could be made on finance and resource mobilisation, and Global Greens are sending a delegation to Rome to advocate and demand strong action.

Global Greens call on national governments and international donors to significantly boost financial contributions for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) to ensure lasting biodiversity preservation.

Key Financial and Policy Initiatives:

• Increase funding to exceed $20 billion and $200 billion thresholds.
• Simplify fund access to benefit local, Indigenous, and civil society organizations.
• Support biodiversity-friendly policies by reversing harmful agricultural subsidies.
• Establish debt-reduction schemes tied to biodiversity conservation.
• Strengthen National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) with international support and collaboration.
• Reduce hazardous chemical pollution by 50% and promote sustainable agriculture.
• Expand protected natural areas, aiming for 30% terrestrial and marine conservation.
• Implement transparent monitoring and accountability frameworks for biodiversity commitments.

“Biodiversity loss is a crisis that demands immediate, coordinated action,” said Bodil Valero and Jose Miguel Quintanilla, Co-Convenors of the Global Greens. “By increasing funding, reforming policies, and strengthening global cooperation, we can protect our ecosystems and secure a sustainable future.”

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