Can we stop the collapse of biodiversity at the end of COP16 biodiversity in Cali? In Colombia, COP16 biodiversity is entering its second week in Cali. Representatives from more than 190 countries are taking a first step together, two years after the historic agreement concluded in Montreal to halt the destruction of nature. This includes insects, mammals, forests, microorganisms and others, all organisms essential to human life on Earth. Although many subjects were put on the table after a week of summit, very few commitments were made.
Remember that in 2022, the COP15 in Montreal saw the emergence of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims, through 23 quantified objectives, to be the equivalent of the Paris agreement for biodiversity. What to expect from COP16, which is currently taking place in Colombia? For the moment, it is clear that States are encountering difficulties in its application and that several important questions remain unanswered.
But in Cali, countries continued to provide their national commitments to be in line with those made collectively in Montreal: for example, protecting 30% of land and seas or reducing pesticides. It was India on Sunday evening October 27, 2024, Friday Namibia and Uruguay, but not everyone has done it yet.
As for the discussions, some agreements were found on marginal subjects, but not on key subjects, such as indicators to evaluate these national commitments. During this first week, the negotiators from the different countries mostly talked to each other and listened to each other. And they confirmed the points of tension.
According to them, the first is to know how and to what extent pharmaceutical, cosmetic or agri-food companies will pay for having made money by using genetic data from plants and animals. The latter were, in most cases, taken from countries in the South.
They specify that the second subject of friction is the necessary increase in funding for biodiversity. These two subjects will now pass into the hands of ministers and some heads of state. They are expected Tuesday October 29, 2024 in Cali.
The Africa group, in particular the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Africa, will once again call for a dedicated fund for biodiversity. Rich countries, like those of the European Union, assure that the current mechanism, hosted by the Global Environment Fund, already works well.
Several developed countries should give pledges by putting back into the pot to try to reach the objective of 20 billion dollars annually by 2025, this Monday, October 28, 2024. We will see if this is considered sufficient by the countries of the South.
Moctar FICUU / VivAfrik
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