World leaders meet to protect biodiversity
By Samuel Ogunsona
World leaders have opened up a new chapter today in the intensive drive to save the earth and its rare plant and animal species.
The meeting is the 16th of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD CoP16) which kicked off today in Colombia.
The gathering brought together representatives from around the world to address the pressing issue of biodiversity loss.
The conference, themed “Peace with Nature,” will run from October 21 to November 1, 2024.
Hosted in Colombia, a country renowned for its rich biodiversity, the event aims to ensure that the trade in wild species is sustainable, legal, and traceable.
The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is participating in the conference, highlighting the critical role of sustainable wildlife trade in conservation.
CBD COP16 marks the first global biodiversity conference since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) in 2022.
The framework sets an ambitious plan for countries to transform their relationship with nature by 2030 and achieve a shared vision of living in harmony with nature by 2050.
The conference is expected to finalize outstanding issues from the previous Conference of the Parties related to the KMGBF, including the monitoring framework, resource mobilization strategy, and multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism from the use of digital sequence information.
CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero emphasized the importance of collaborative partnerships in achieving biodiversity conservation. “As CITES nears its 50th anniversary, our engagement at CBD CoP16 will focus on reinforcing partnerships with all stakeholders who have a role to play in conservation.”
The conference will also explore ways to strengthen cooperation across multilateral environmental agreements and partnerships, such as the Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management and the Biodiversity Liaison Group.
Representatives from over 190 countries are attending the conference, which is seen as a critical moment for biodiversity stakeholders to set a concrete monitoring agenda for achieving a future where wildlife and communities thrive.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) stressed the significance of this conference, highlighting the need for countries to define their roles in helping turn the tide on global biodiversity loss.
With the fate of the planet’s biodiversity hanging in the balance, the outcomes of CBD CoP16 will be crucial in shaping a sustainable future for all.
As the world watches, CBD COP16 is poised to be a pivotal moment in the fight to protect biodiversity and ensure a sustainable future for all.
