1121. UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16)

From October 21 to November 1, 2024, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP16 will be held in Cali, Colombia. The theme of this year's event is "Peace with Nature," and not only governments but also local governments, businesses, women, youth, and the general public, including indigenous peoples, will come together to accelerate actions toward the realization of the 2050 vision of a world in harmony with nature.

At COP16, governments will review progress towards the implementation of the Biodiversity Framework and assess its alignment with the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

In particular, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) adopted at COP15 in 2022 aims to conserve at least 30% of land and seas. "30 by 30" is equivalent to a "peace pact with nature." It has been hailed as comparable to the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Among the global targets for 2030 are the following:

• Conserve at least 30% of the world's lands, inland waters, coastal areas, and oceans, with emphasis on areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services
• Cut global food waste in half
• Reduce by half excess nutrients and the risk posed by pesticides and hazardous chemicals
• Gradually reduce or revise subsidies that damage biodiversity by 2030, while strengthening mechanisms that contribute to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use
• Mobilize by 2030 at least $20 billion per year in domestic and international biodiversity-related funding from public and private sources
• Raise international financial flows from developed to developing countries, especially the poorest countries, island countries, and countries with economies in transition, to at least US$20 billion per year by 2025 and at least US$30 billion per year by 2030
• Prevent the introduction of priority invasive alien species, and reduce by at least half the number of invasive alien species
• Require large multinational corporations and financial institutions to monitor, assess, and disclose the risks, dependencies, and impacts of their supply and value chain activities on biodiversity

Contributor: IIYAMA Miyuki, Information Program