Briefing: CBD COP16

The upcoming Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP16 set to take place this coming October in Cali, Colombia, represents a pivotal moment for advancing global efforts on biodiversity, climate and human rights protection. Healthy ecosystems are the life support systems for all of humanity and they also play a fundamental role in tackling climate change. Breaking the unprecedented cycle of biodiversity loss and ecological degradation is essential to prevent ecosystems from releasing carbon into the atmosphere and reaching irreversible tipping points that will accelerate the climate crisis and lead to catastrophic regional and global consequences. This is also vital for supporting frontline and marginalised communities coping with and adapting to the escalating impacts of climate change. 

As the first CBD COP since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) in 2022, COP16 will be critical for accelerating implementation towards achieving its 2030 targets and 2050 goals. Crucially, countries need to demonstrate how they will implement the KM-GBF domestically by presenting revised and ambitious National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) ahead of COP16. Yet, there is growing concern that the level of ambition will fall short of global targets, and that only a few revised NBSAPs will be submitted this year (as of September 23rd 2024, only 19 countries and the EU have submitted revised NBSAPs aligned with the global goals of the KMGBF).

Finance will indisputably take center stage in Cali. The KM-GBF calls for closing the estimated $700 billion annual biodiversity funding gap by: reforming harmful incentives by at least $500 billion per year by 2030 (Target 18); increasing the level of financial resources from “all sources” to at least $200 billion per year by 2030 (Target 19); and mobilising international biodiversity finance from developed to developing countries to at least $20 billion annually by 2025 and $30 billion by 2030 (Target 19a) (see Annex I). The level of ambition demonstrated at COP16 significantly hinges on how successfully rich nations demonstrate progress on the most imminent target of mobilising $20 billion annually by 2025. These are key elements of a resource mobilisation strategy that countries need to agree at COP16. Making adequate and predictable resources available in a timely manner, including direct access for Indigenous Peoples and local communities is necessary to avoid putting the national level implementation of the KM-GBF at risk. Yet, while increased funding is undeniably important to addressing biodiversity loss, more attention is needed towards addressing the structural economic and political conditions underlying drivers of biodiversity loss and constraining government action, including debt, austerity and tax avoidance.

COP16 is also expected to assess the state of implementation of the KM-GBF and further develop its monitoring framework, which will support the 2026 global review of collective progress. Gaps on indicators still remain, with different elements from the KM-GBF targets lacking appropriate indicators and coverage. Additionally, countries are tasked with finalising a multilateral mechanism on the highly contested issue of fair and equitable Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) from the use of digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources, which is expected to provide an additional source of funds for biodiversity based on payments from commercial users, and in particular support Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. 

Lastly, COP16 presents a critical opportunity for countries to tackle biodiversity loss and climate change as interconnected and mutually reinforcing crises and recognise the important functional role of biodiversity in retaining and recovering ecological integrity and reducing the risk of losing ecosystem carbon to the atmosphere. There are multiple agenda items and opportunities for countries to advance this, and send a clear message to the UNFCCC and UNCCD, calling for enhanced cooperation among the three Rio Conventions. Target 8 of the KM-GBF explicitly deals with (1) minimising the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on biodiversity and building resilience, (2) minimising negative impacts of climate action on biodiversity, and (3) fostering positive impacts of climate action on biodiversity. However, there are currently no adequate and headline (required) indicators in the monitoring framework to effectively track progress on this critical target. Nor is there sufficient recognition of the important role of ecological integrity in protecting and restoring the ability of ecosystems to sequester and retain carbon over the long term.

Meanwhile, two COP decisions are being negotiated that provide the opportunity to emphasise the need for cross-Convention collaboration and enhanced efforts at the national level to maximise coordination and synergies, and minimise trade-offs in implementing climate and biodiversity objective: agenda item 13 on Cooperation with Other Conventions and International Organizations, and item 25 on Biodiversity and Climate Change. Amongst a busy COP schedule, it is essential that these are prioritised and robust decisions are reached ahead of UNFCCC COP29, which follows directly after CBD COP16. Finally, as COP16 Presidency, Colombia has the opportunity to show the leadership necessary on climate and biodiversity alignment and set a strong foundation for upcoming Rio Convention COPs to progress the delivery of the GBF, the Paris Agreement and the halting of land degradation under the UNCCD.