A ‘COP of the people’ to heal the planet: UN Biodiversity Summit opens in Colombia
The UN chief’s call came in a video message to the meeting’s opening ceremony, which officially begins on Monday 21 October in one of the most biodiverse countries on earth. . Over the next two weeks, government experts, environmental activists and indigenous groups will address pressing global challenges in protecting biodiversity.
The 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement officially took place United Nations Convention on Biological Diversityknown by the abbreviation CBD COP16The summit marks the first global gathering on this important issue since 2022, when countries agreed on a historic target Kunming-Montreal Global Framework (GBF), the most far-reaching action plan to protect biodiversity.
The Secretary-General said: “This framework is based on a clear truth – for humanity to survive, nature must thrive…it promises to reset the relationship with the Earth and its ecosystems .”
‘La COP de la gente’
“But we are not going in the right direction. Your mission at this COP is to turn words into action. That means countries must put in place clear plans to align national actions with all the framework’s objectives,” he said, adding that it also meant agree on a strengthened transparency and oversight framework, while honoring financial promises and accelerating support for developing countries.
Mr. Guterres said delegations must leave Cail with significant investments in GBF, related funds and a commitment to mobilize other public and private financial resources to fully realize its objectives.
“And those who profit from nature must do their part to protect and restore nature,” he continued, emphasizing that the world’s developing countries “are being robbed” as scientific discoveries and the economic growth stemming from their “extraordinary wealth” is benefiting others.
COP16 must involve the entire society – as ‘la COP de la gente‘ (COP of the People) – and it must strengthen the role of indigenous peoples and local communities, who are “the world’s great guardians of biodiversity, the shining stars of sustainable use.
Their knowledge and management capacity must be central to biodiversity action at all levels.
“We have a plan to rescue humanity from a degraded Earth,” the Secretary-General said, adding that he looked forward to meeting delegates in person at the end of the COP “to hear how you fared.” ”.
‘Reinventing the way we live’
In her speech, COP President Susana Muhamad say during COP16, steps must be taken to implement the Kunming Montreal Global Framework.
“Fundamentally, it is about rearranging the way we live, rearranging the paradigm of development, rearranging, rethinking, rediscovering how we live together in diversity, in one system. not permanently turning nature into a victim of development but of our own reproduction as a society. regenerates life,” she said.
Ms. Muhamad, Colombia’s Minister of Environment, emphasized that biodiversity conservation is deeply linked to action against climate change and that the exploitation of natural resources is responsible for 50% of greenhouse gas emissions. glass today, but at the same time, it also causes 90% of biodiversity loss.
“Strong restoration of ecosystems and nature can contribute nearly 40% to the solution of climate stabilization and the carbon cycle,” she emphasized.
