The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, with 170 delegations, was held in Cali, Colombia, between October 21 and November 1, 2024. The Convention, established in 1992 and endorsed by 196 nations, aims to implement strategies that foster a sustainable and environmentally responsible future. This year's event marked a critical moment in global conservation efforts. Delegates from around the world gathered to assess progress on biodiversity goals, including the landmark "30 by 30" target to protect 30% of Earth's land and oceans by 2030. While the conference achieved notable progress, significant challenges remain.
One of the standout achievements was the formal inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in key governance processes. The struggle to gain meaningful representation and influence in decision-making has spanned over thirty years. This acknowledgment of their vital role in biodiversity conservation sets a precedent for equitable and effective environmental governance. In the words of Camila Paz Romero, spokesperson for Indigenous Peoples at the summit:
“This is an unprecedented occasion in the history of multilateral environmental agreements...this new subsidiary body is a benchmark for the rest of the world in which the parties recognise the continued need for our full and effective participation, knowledge, innovations, technologies and traditional practices to meet the objectives of the convention.
Indigenous peoples and local communities of the world – connected from our knowledge systems in the care of life and biodiversity – remember the long road we have traveled towards this agreement.”
The other major news is the benefit-sharing from DSI. Genetic material from plants, animals, and microorganisms, known as digital sequence information (DSI), has vast commercial applications across fields like medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology. At COP16, UN member states agreed on a landmark deal ensuring companies profiting from DSI contribute financially to a new UN-managed "Cali Fund." This fund will support conservation efforts in the regions where genetic resources are sourced, particularly aiding developing nations and Indigenous communities. Academic and public research institutions using DSI for non-commercial purposes will be exempt from these contributions. The establishment of the "Cali Fund" further underscored a commitment to equity by addressing the sharing of benefits derived from the use of genetic resources.
The Cali Fund
Article 1 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) focuses on three key objectives, including the equitable sharing of benefits derived from genetic resource use, which grants sovereign ownership of genetic resources within state borders. However, a challenge arises as the Convention and the Nagoya Protocol exclude "digital sequence information" (DSI), critical in biotechnology, from the definition of genetic resources. During Nagoya Protocol negotiations, the inclusion of DSI was left unresolved, creating a divide between rights over physical genetic resources and digital data, potentially undermining sovereign control over natural assets.
As a result of the technical and political complications, calls cumulated to an agreement for contributions to be made to a global fund regulating the use of DSI. However, contributions to the Cali Fund remain a voluntary decision, not a legally binding agreement of the Conference of the Parties, leaving room for parties to act on their discretion and interest. Another problem is that this will lead to a bureaucratic and administrative mess, complicating management, accountability, and oversight. Setting it up could take years, assuming it’s ever actually implemented.
And Then What?
Progress was also made in identifying and protecting marine areas of ecological importance. COP16 celebrated the progress achieved over the last two years while emphasizing the urgency of accelerating efforts. Thus far, 119 of the 196 CBD Parties have submitted national biodiversity targets aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). Furthermore, 44 nations have presented National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs), which serve as critical policy tools for implementing these targets.
Two critical issues remain unresolved, hindering the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework for Biodiversity. The first is the absence of a clear financing model, despite estimates suggesting $700 billion is needed to execute the plan. The second is the lack of a robust monitoring mechanism to track global progress in meeting biodiversity goals. These gaps pose significant challenges to achieving the framework's ambitious target of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030.
The conference revealed gaps in financing and monitoring mechanisms crucial for achieving the 30 by 30 goals. These unresolved issues underscore the difficulty of balancing conservation ambitions with the practicalities of global governance. While COP16 reaffirmed global commitment to biodiversity, it also highlighted the urgent need for actionable strategies and robust funding mechanisms. Moving forward, the global community must tackle these challenges head-on to ensure that the promises made in Cali translate into measurable impact rather than ending up in Armenia 2026 with even bigger challenges and talks.