Many considered the last COP meeting in Montreal a success, as it resulted in agreed global targets to combat biodiversity loss. However, there was no clear roadmap for achieving these targets, nor a plan for funding and follow-up mechanisms. Addressing these gaps was the goal of this year’s meeting.
Biodiversity loss – A root cause of hunger and poverty
For We Effect, COP16 was an especially crucial meeting. The loss of biodiversity and ecosystem collapse has been identified as one of the five most severe threats to humanity this decade. Biodiversity is also a critical issue for smallholder farmers and environmental rights activists. Without biodiversity and functioning ecosystems, we cannot produce food. We rely on nature’s services, such as pollination, water purification, and nutrient-rich soil.
Smallholder farmers make up 80% of the world’s farmers and contribute over 30% of global food production. They grow food for both their own consumption and to earn a livelihood. Biodiversity loss is therefore a fundamental driver of hunger and poverty. It is also closely linked to the climate crisis, where biodiversity loss worsens global warming, which in turn intensifies the nature crisis. Solutions are needed that address both crises symbiotically without exacerbating either. This integrated approach was one of the few issues on which world leaders could reach an agreement at this year’s meeting in Cali.
We Effect at COP16 in Colombia
We Effect participated in COP16 alongside ten partner organisations from Latin America. We also engaged with the Swedish delegation before the meeting to advocate for issues we see as critical, such as financing. It’s essential not only to increase funding to tackle the nature crisis but also to ensure it reaches those most affected, such as smallholder farmers and Indigenous communities. We have also emphasized the importance of strengthening and respecting the voices of local communities, Indigenous people, and environmental defenders.
Another issue We Effect has raised on various occasions is the need for a clear and robust plan to achieve the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets. For instance, we need specific plans to protect environmental defenders—often indigenous people and local communities, and especially female defenders who frequently face gender-based threats and violence. We have also stressed the importance of all countries, including Sweden, establishing and submitting their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). NBSAPs should be developed with and for local communities and Indigenous people, who play a vital role in protecting and restoring biodiversity. Unfortunately, many countries, including Sweden, had not submitted these plans by the meeting’s conclusion. By the end of COP16, only 44 out of 196 countries had delivered updated NBSAPs.
Outcomes of the Meeting
New body and work program for indigenous and local community inclusion
We Effect welcomes the decision to establish a new permanent body and work program under the Convention on Biological Diversity aimed at upholding and strengthening Indigenous and local community rights and participation (Article 8j). Their knowledge and traditions are an invaluable resource in the fight against the nature crisis, which must be valued and respected.
No agreement on funding and framework for evaluation and reporting
World leaders failed to resolve these crucial issues in Cali. Without a clear plan or financial resources, it’s challenging to envision how we can halt and reverse the nature crisis.
A new fund to equitably share benefits of digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources
We Effect welcomes the new fund to equitably share the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources, with 50% of the fund designated for local communities and indigenous peoples. This is a positive step, though the details remain to be fully clarified.
