DTE at COP16: Country heads, ministers to discuss progress towards biodiversity targets at two-day High-Level Segment

The High-Level Segment of the 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) began with six heads of states and 150 ministers marking their presence in Cali, Colombia.

The two-day meeting began with the president of Colombia setting the stage. Colombia’s Initiative, “World Coalition for Peace with Nature: A Call for Life” was also launched.  

Over the course of the two days, the ministers will review the progress made since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Fund (KMGBF). They will also discuss the issue of resource mobilisation from all sources and the synergy between climate change and biodiversity that links the political agendas of climate and biodiversity from CBD COP16 to United Nations Framework Convention of Parties COPs 29 and 30.

At the opening plenary, Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia, stressed that solutions to the crises of biodiversity loss and climate change are inherently political and require global, collective realignment to democratic decision-making.  

Luis Gilberto Murillo Urrutia, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, flagged off the “World Coalition for Peace with Nature: A Call for Life” invitation to rethink the economic model and people’s social and political relations and behaviors. Joining the coalition has been made voluntary.

COP 16 President Susana Muhamad said that the KMGBF has given momentum to the whole-of-government and -society approaches necessary for the protection of biodiversity, and declared the High-Level Segment open. 

On the first day, over 40 members delivered their statements. This includes India.

Kirti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, delivered the statement which pointed out that “Peace with Nature” is already part of India’s rich cultural heritage and resonates with India’s mission of “Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE)”, an India-led global mass movement for adopting environment friendly lifestyles.

The statement also talked about India’s work on the big cat species, rejuvenation of River Ganga and increase in the number of Ramsar sites.   

Over the next day, more statements would be delivered. If needed, the high-level delegates would also enter into negotiations to resolve issues after the High-Level Segment.  

The meeting will end with a report by the COP16 President about the outcomes of discussions and national statements.