The conference officially started on Monday, October 21 in Colombia, one of the world’s leading countries in terms of biodiversity. Earlier, the top official of the United Nations addressed the opening ceremony through a video message on Sunday evening.
Over the next two weeks, countries’ governments, environmental activists and representatives of indigenous groups will discuss global challenges related to biodiversity conservation.
’16th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity’, also known as CBD COP16 for short.
For the first time since 2022, representatives from around the world are gathering here on this important issue. In the same year, countries agreed to the historic Montreal-Kunming Global Framework, which is considered an important milestone for biodiversity conservation.
The Secretary-General said the framework was based on reality, to protect humanity and develop nature. It promises to renegotiate our relationship with the earth and ecosystem.
Aim off
The UN chief warned that the world is currently far from meeting its commitments to conserve biodiversity, and it is therefore important that words come into play at this year’s COP meeting.
To this end, countries must submit national plans that are consistent with the goals set out in the Montreal-Kunming Framework.
At the same time, there must be consensus on strengthening monitoring and transparency frameworks, and commitments to increase funding and assistance to developing countries must be fulfilled.
The UN chief said specific investments must be made and public and private financial resources mobilized to achieve the targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Secretary-General Guterres emphasized that the world’s developing countries are being spoiled while others are benefiting from their extraordinary resources, scientific discoveries and economic progress.
In view of this, he noted that those who would benefit from nature should contribute to its conservation and restoration.
The common man’s police
The UN chief said the COP16 meeting should involve all segments of society and thereby empower tribal peoples and local communities.
He described these communities as the greatest custodians of global biodiversity, leading sustainable lifestyles according to him.
According to the Secretary-General, their knowledge and management must be centralized at every level of biodiversity action.
He said that we have a plan to save humanity in a world that is suffering from degradation and the conclusion of the COP is to see how the delegates have done their job.