Our expert Nature Strategy Advisor, Louise Wyatt, discusses why we have COP16, what we need from it, and why this year’s theme should give us inspiration.
Over the next two weeks, we will see the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. This is the first conference since the adoption of the Kumming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and its focus will be on reviewing any GBF progress, and how this is being aligned with members National Biodiversity Strategies and Actions Plans (NBSAPs) within the framework.
Biodiversity, climate, and beyond
As we approach COP16, there is a clear need for a more joined up approach between nature and climate. Due to links and dependencies between the two, one cannot be solved without addressing the other. Biodiversity should be considered a key basis of solving the climate emergency – for example our forests and wetlands act as carbon sinks, but also preserve habitats for species.
Biodiversity is essential for a healthy ecosystems and key for our survival providing clean air, food and water.
What is the problem?
The WWF recently reported that only 10% of countries have submitted their updated plans and another 33% have only updated their national targets.
Targets without a plan are empty words. Governments must start treating this crisis as a crisis. Faster and better political and financial commitment is needed.
What’s needed to achieve this?
The solutions exist, and science and conservation demonstrate we can restore nature.
Firstly, we need bigger and better commitments.
- We need policy and commitment at a national and local level, ensuring climate and biodiversity goals are aligned.
- We need increased financial commitments.
- We need robust NBSAPs, linking nature objectives with climate and social objectives.
- Clear plans will enable initiatives to go beyond government funding and provide opportunity for private finance to support goals and increased investment.
- Then, commitments to plans and monitoring will be key to success long term
But, we also need collaboration.
- Policy makers to collaborate across sectors, from government NGOs and the private sector.
- Crucially, we need to communicate to ensure that climate actions do not harm biodiversity.
- Inclusive participation and local leadership, conservation cannot succeed otherwise.
In summary
We need to consider how to achieve a balance between human activities and natural ecosystems. There are poetic references to this year’s logo, the Inírida flower, as the “eternal flower”, coming from the plant’s remarkable ability to withstand extreme weather and to survive both floods and spells of drought. We should adopt this tenacity when approaching the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, to protect the ecosystems which give us such poetic inspiration.
We hope that COP16 can push global leaders to not only make strong commitments for our collective future, but also make the needed challenging decisions and initiate change.
This year’s theme: Promoting a peaceful coexistence with nature
The logo for COP16 is the Inírida Flower, whose petals represent the 23 targets of the GBF. It symbolises how human activities and natural ecosystems can exist in balance and how there can be a respectful, sustainable relationship with the environment.
The 23 targets of the GBF are centred around 3 key themes:
- Reducing threats to biodiversity:
To reduce threats to biodiversity we should be considering inclusive spatial planning of all areas, aiming to restore and conserve 30% of land and sea, and we should be putting measures in place to halt human induced extinction, control invasive species, and reduce pollution (e.g. plastics and nutrients). Through this, we can mitigate climate change, with Nature-based Solutions and ecosystem-based approaches.
- Meeting people’s needs
We need sustainable agriculture, especially to prevent the over-exploitation of wild species, and to meet population’s needs we should look to increase green and blue spaces in urban areas to enhance human health and well-being.
- Tools and solutions
Certainly, we need the right tools to achieve all of this. Biodiversity values and incentives will help continue to drive positive actions, while we build better technology and expand capacity to enact more effective change. Knowledge sharing, scientific and local knowledge, and respecting traditional communities while valuing inclusivity will all continue to be key to reaching the best results – we cannot be taking siloed approaches. Partnership working and cooperation is required at all levels.
Better education, and monitoring and reporting for actionable information and data will also be necessary.
Further reading:
NBSAP tracker: Check your country’s nature progress | WWF (panda.org)
UK misses deadline to submit nature pledge ahead of UN COP16 biodiversity summit – Carbon Brief
5 reasons you should care about Biodiversity COP16 – BirdLife International
