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Sunday, November 3, 2024

Australia at Biological Diversity COP16 in Columbia

UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP16 meets from October 20 - 27 in Cali, Columbia. This is a Live article actively updated during October.

Participants will review the state of implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including through alignment with national biodiversity strategies and action plans as well as resource mobilization. At the previous summit, COP15, which was held in Montreal in December 2022, countries agreed to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The GBF is a set of four goals to 2050 and 23 targets to 2030 with the overarching mission of reversing the decline of biodiversity around the world by 2030. (Read the goals and targets here: The Montreal Moment for Biodiversity: Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted)

Australia submitted its 6th national report to the CBD in 2020, and is due this year to submit a new national report.

COP16 Meeting documents | Carbon Brief INtereactive: who wants what | DCCEEW on CBD
CBD Youtube | CBD-Live Youtube |  IISD Earth Negotiation Bulletin on COP16

3 November - Cop16 ends in disarray and indecision despite biodiversity breakthroughs (Guardian) Conservation summit agrees global levy on drugs from nature’s genetics and stronger indigenous representation, but developing nations furious at unmet funding promises

And the final IISD/ENB COP16 summary report is now published.

Although multilateralism often moves slowly, some seasoned delegates remarked on the need to streamline the Convention processes and agenda. With hundreds of pages of decision in front of them, and unfinished business due to the meeting’s suspension, discussions will undoubtedly circle back to this at the resumed session of the COP. Some believe that resuming the COP to focus exclusively on financial matters may, after all, be productive, allowing dedicated time to focus on this crucial matter. Suspension of the meeting means that a lot of decisions are still pending, including on resource mobilization, the financial mechanism, and importantly, the budget. The budget committee was still deliberating when the gavel dropped on the meeting’s suspension. Without a budget, the operations of the Secretariat could be interrupted. 

While the inability to agree on resource mobilization and the financial mechanism soured the possibility of a celebratory end to this COP, its successes stand as indicators of progress. Its decisions, including the SB8j, the multilateral DSI benefit-sharing mechanism, and the EBSA modalities, in addition to other decisions, provide an array of important implementation tools.  


Day 10 - 1 November: Outcomes

IISD/ENB provided some summary of the final Plenary (UN Web TV video) that worked through the night, with the plenary suspended on Saturday morning at 8.27am after a quorum check. A full summary will be published on November 4.

It was a long journey. The last day of the meeting had it all and ended in suspension. Following painstaking negotiations in the Working Groups, closed-door deliberations on the main agenda items, joy and drama in plenary, and early-morning negotiations on the budget, COP President Susana Muhamad suspended the meeting at 8:27 am on Saturday morning.

In a historic moment, participants celebrated the decision to establish a subsidiary body on Article 8(j) and related provisions of the Convention on matters related to IPLCs, as well as the decision on the role of people of African descent in the implementation of the Convention. Following several rounds of consultations, they adopted a decision on the operationalization of the multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism from use of DSI and establishment of the Cali Fund, aiming to bridge at least part of the biodiversity finance gap and reward the stewards of biodiversity. The proposed decision on resource mobilization included a provision establishing a dedicated global financing instrument for biodiversity under the authority of the COP. This was not accepted by developed countries. 

In a thread on X, the Centre for International Environmentb Law (CIEL) commented on the COP16 outcomes:

1/ UN Biodiversity  COP16 Colombia concluded in Cali with crucial progress and gaps in global biodiversity protection. CIEL’s experts weigh in on what this means for biodiversity, climate, and our future. Read full statement.

2/✅A milestone win: Parties reaffirmed the geoengineering moratorium, cautioning against these speculative technologies and their risks to biodiversity. 

3/ CIEL’s @mmachch  says: The reaffirmed geoengineering moratorium sends a strong signal: speculative tech has no place in the climate response. Now, CBD Parties must prevent risky experiments from threatening biodiversity.

4/ ❌ However, COP16 missed a key chance to address fossil fuels—a main driver of biodiversity loss and climate change. Immediate action is needed! #FossilFuelPhaseout

5/ CIEL’s @BrunaDCampos  says: Life on this planet has no time for delay. Protecting biodiversity means halting the fossil-fueled threats to ecosystems and human rights. We need bold action!

6/🛑Plastic production is another culprit threatening nature. “We won’t make #PeaceWithNature unless plastic production is reduced,” says CIEL’s @danieladurang6. The #PlasticsTreaty negotiations need bold, mandatory measures to reduce plastic production—anything less falls short.

7/🌊 Bottom line: The UN Biodiversity COP16Colombia left critical work undone. We must move beyond recognition to action to protect biodiversity from fossil fuels and plastics. The world is watching.


Clive Donnley (@DonnleyClive) on X described:
Historic consensus on #Article8J
⭐️Creation of a subsidiary body for Indigenous peoples and local communities.
⭐️Recognition of Afro-descendant peoples as biodiversity custodians.
⭐️Establishment of a 2030 work program.
 A 26-year legacy within the CBD. #COP16

 

 Benji Jones (@BenjiSJones) with VOX posted on X:

It’s official: Nearly all countries have agreed on a plan that aims to charge companies for using DNA from wild organisms. It’s unlikely to raise more than $1 bil/yr but it signals something key: those who profit off nature should pay to protect it. 

The Vox story: A groundbreaking new plan to get Big Pharma to pay for wildlife conservation. Big companies use DNA from wild organisms to make money. This new plan aims to make them pay for it. (Vox)

Australia in Final Plenary

"I'll speak briefly of support for comments by New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Norway and otheres. We hear what other Parties are saying regarding a new dedicated fund and the time to consider it. Australia remains concerned at the fragmenting of the financial landscape. We appreciate the effort that has gone into this issue at this COP, genuiinely and look forward to further conversations in the future to address this matter."  



Day 9 - 31 October

IISD/ENB summarise the negotiations... "Working Group II considered conference room papers (CRPs) throughout the day. Two contact groups addressed resource mobilization and the financial mechanism, while Presidency consultations were held on resource mobilization and on digital sequence information (DSI). An evening plenary took a vote on the venue of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 17). Working Group I addressed CRPs late into the night."

The next COP was chosen ... "COP 17 Venue: Parties voted, in a secret ballot, on the venue of COP 17. Armenia was elected host of COP 17, to be held in 2026, with 65 votes, while Azerbaijan received 58 votes. ARMENIA expressed their appreciation to parties and aspired to “transfer the spirit of Cali to Yerevan.”

IISD/ENB summed up day in their 31st October Daily Report section From the Corridors:

Time is running out and energy levels are low, yet negotiations continue forging ahead. The celebratory moment from Wednesday’s adoption of modalities for the modification of descriptions of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas and the description of new ones was short-lived, as focus returned to the many pending items. Many wondered about the decision-making process. While additional meetings resulted in progress in the contact groups on resource mobilization and the financial mechanism, one delegate pointed to the next-door bilateral consultations organized by the Colombian Presidency, noting that “this is where the real negotiations happen.” On DSI, some delegates warn that a potential compromise, while desirable, may mean bargaining for a weaker outcome. “We might have a mechanism, but is a voluntary benefit-sharing mechanism worth sacrificing our sovereign rights to genetic resources and DSI for?” one participant wondered.

Despite the long list of decisions still to be considered, expectations remain high. Winds may yet change, and something may be brewing backstage (and between several hurdles strewn along the corridors). The reappearance of a bat in the negotiation rooms signified, for some participants, the call of nature, and a reminder of what is at stake.

31 October - Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) researchers identify significant trends from COP16. These include: 

  • At COP16 in Cali and with COP29 upcoming in Baku, there’s a push to connect climate and biodiversity agendas; 
  • Calls for more ocean research and greater investments in coastal resilience; 
  • Growing interest in making consumption and production sustainable; 
  • Bioeconomy offers new opportunities for tropical countries; Stronger emphasis on the role of water for biodiversity. (SEI)

"COP16 has marked a turning point in how biodiversity is approached globally, signalling a growing recognition of its role in achieving sustainable development. The legacy of COP16, however, will ultimately depend on how well these discussions translate into concrete, actionable steps that address the biodiversity crisis and drive meaningful change."

31 October - Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) onCOP16  takeaways from their key discussions on: Shift the narrative ; Embed nature in economic, policy and commercial decision-making ; Enable better-informed and collaborative decision-making on the future of places – putting community and people at the centre; Drive innovation in, and transformation of, critical sectors and supply chains. (CISL)

31 October - Alarm grows over ‘disturbing’ lack of progress to save nature at Cop16 (Guardian) Fears raised that biodiversity summit not addressing countries’ failure to meet a single target to stem destruction of natural world. According to the Guardian, Scientists at the nature summit in Cali said that the political pace was not matching the scale of the challenge. Nathalie Seddon, professor of biodiversity at University of Oxford, said much more was needed by the end of the decade.

“The biodiversity goals’ 2030 deadline exists for a reason: biodiverse, resilient ecosystems are the foundation of our economies and wellbeing. A bad outcome here isn’t just bad news for wildlife; it undermines food security, water quality, disaster resilience and economic stability. It worsens climate impacts of record-breaking heat, wildfires, floods and droughts,” she said.

Yadvinder Malhi, a professor of ecosystem science at the University of Oxford, said: “The very limited progress we’ve seen so far in the negotiations at Cop16 is insufficient to address the very real implications of getting this wrong. Biodiversity is continuing to decline at an alarming rate. I really hope that the crunch discussions this week yield those commitments, for the sake of a flourishing future for people and for our planet.”

Day 8 - 30 October

IISD/ENB summarise "The Working Groups addressed conference room papers (CRPs) throughout the day. Contact groups convened on synthetic biology, mechanisms for planning, monitoring, reporting, and review (PMRR), resource mobilization, and digital sequence information (DSI). An evening plenary reviewed progress and adopted decisions under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP), and the Nagoya Protocol (NP) on access and benefit-sharing (ABS). The High-level Segment concluded deliberations."

IISD/ENB summed up day in their 30th October Daily Report section From the Corridors:

“After this success, everything will fall into place,” one relieved participant commented, following the late evening adoption of modalities for the modification of descriptions of EBSAs and the description of new ones. Elation and applause was also heard earlier in the day at Working Group II, as those invested in the eight-year process of negotiations celebrated the moment. Less optimistic participants, however, noted that the picture is not so appealing on other fronts, pointing in particular to DSI and resource mobilization. While many welcomed behind-the-scenes work to facilitate consensus at the ministerial level, others pointed to a “more realistic” approach: adopting framework decisions while allowing for further intersessional work. Well after midnight, with a bat flitting above plenary, delegates heard passionate calls to establish both a subsidiary body on Article 8(j) and a dedicated global biodiversity fund.


30 October 2024 - Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek approves rocket launch facility at Whalers Way on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula under EPBC Act. The decision proposes to clear over 23 hectares of Endangered Mallee Whipbird and Southern Emu-wren habitat which may push them closer to extinction. (Birdlife Australia | ABC News)

Day 7 - 29 October

IISD/ENB summarise "The High-level Segment gathered Heads of State, Ministers, and high-level officials, while text-based negotiations continued in contact groups throughout the day and into the night."

IISD/ENB summed up day in their 29th October Daily Report section From the Corridors:

On the first of two days devoted to a High-level Segment, Heads of State and Ministers shared concerns, challenges, policy priorities, and success stories, with many stressing the urgency of addressing the environmental crisis and focusing on implementation of the GBF goals and targets. “Passing from rhetoric to action is the first step,” one participant noted, “and action starts at the negotiating table.” With a stocktaking plenary scheduled for Wednesday evening, and negotiations continuing at a slow pace in contact and informal groups, some were hopeful that the presence of high-level representatives will provide the necessary impetus and momentum for agreement on at least some of the main outstanding items, such as DSI, finance and resource mobilization, and Article 8(j). Others, meanwhile, were concerned that the time spent on high-level statements is encroaching upon limited negotiating time. “Hopefully there is a plan B,” one observer commented, on their way out of a “useful, yet too abstract” discussion on resource mobilization.

UN Secretary General speech to High Level Segment:

President Petro,

Thank you for hosting this important session, here in Cali – a microcosm of our planet's rich biodiversity.

Excellencies, dear friends,

Nature is life. And yet we are waging a war against it. A war where there can be no winner.

Every year, we see temperatures climbing higher. Every day, we lose more species. Every minute, we dump a garbage truck of plastic waste into our oceans, rivers and lakes.

Make no mistake. This is what an existential crisis looks like.

No country, rich or poor, is immune to the devastation inflicted by climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and pollution. These environmental crises are intertwined. They know no borders.

And they are devastating ecosystems and livelihoods, threatening human health and undermining sustainable development.

The drivers of this destruction are embedded in outdated economic models, fueling unsustainable production and consumption patterns. They are multiplied by inequalities – in wealth and power. And with each passing day, we are edging closer to tipping points that could fuel further hunger, displacement, and even armed conflicts.

We have already altered 75% of the Earth's land surface and 66% of its ocean environments.

Dear friends,

Biodiversity is humanity's ally. We must move from plundering it to preserving it.

As I have said time and again, making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century. That is the spirit of today's Declaration of the World Coalition for Peace with Nature:

A call for action to enhance national and international efforts towards a balanced and harmonious relationship with nature – protecting nature and conserving, restoring and sustainably using and sharing our global biodiversity.

A call to recognize the vital knowledge, innovations and practices of Indigenous people, people of African descent, farmers and local communities. A call for life.

Excellencies,

Last month, UN Member States adopted the Pact for the Future. The Pact recognizes the need to accelerate efforts to restore, protect, conserve and sustainably use the environment.

It emphasizes the importance of halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030, and other terrestrial and marine ecosystems that act as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases.

This means conserving biodiversity, while ensuring social and environmental safeguards – in line with the Paris Climate Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

When the Framework was adopted two years ago in Montreal, the world made bold commitments to living in harmony with nature by mid-century.

Its goals and targets require robust monitoring, reporting, and review arrangements to track progress, as well as a resource mobilisation package to increase finance for biodiversity from all sources – mobilizing at least USD 200 billion per year by 2030.

But we must now turn these promises into action in four vital ways.

First – at the national level, all countries must finally present clear, ambitious and detailed plans to align with the Framework’s targets. These national plans should be developed in coordination with Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans – with positive outcomes in the Sustainable Development Goals.

We must shift to nature-positive business models and production: renewable energies and sustainable supply chains… zero-waste policies and circular economies… regenerative agriculture and sustainable farming practices… These must become the default for governments and businesses alike.

Second – we must agree on a strengthened monitoring and transparency framework. This is not only vital for accountability but also about enabling course corrections and driving ambition.

Third – finance promises must be kept and support to developing countries accelerated. We cannot afford to leave Cali without new pledges to adequately capitalize the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, and without commitments to mobilize other sources of public and private finance to deliver the Framework – in full.

And we must bring the private sector on board. Those profiting from nature cannot treat it like a free, infinite resource. They must step up and contribute to its protection and restoration.

By operationalizing the mechanism on the sharing of benefits from the use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources, we will give them one clear avenue to do so, bringing more equity and inclusivity.

Finally – in the spirit of this “COP de la gente”, we must engage all parts of society, in particular Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities. Too often, they have been on the sidelines of global environmental policy. Too often, environmental defenders have been threatened and killed.

Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities are guardians of our nature. Their traditional knowledge is a living library of biodiversity conservation. They must be protected. And they must be part of every biodiversity conversation.

The establishment of a permanent subsidiary body within the Convention on Biological Diversity would mark a significant step forward, ensuring Indigenous voices are heard at every stage of the process.

Peace with nature means peace for those who protect it. 

We must defend the people who defend nature.

Excellencies,

Across all these areas, we know progress is possible. Many countries around the world are stepping up to lead the way.

  • Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and Malaysia are leading by example by ramping up efforts to curb deforestation.  
  • The Congo Basin is intensifying efforts to increase protected area coverage.  
  • The European Union’s Nature Restoration Law is a step toward halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

Mobilizing all countries – each with different levels of wealth and capacities – is challenging.

But swift global cooperation can provide the defense we so desperately need – against wildfires, floods, extreme weather, and pandemics.

Last year’s Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction demonstrated our determination for every hectare of the planet. We need the same determination later in the year as countries come together to conclude negotiations on a landmark treaty to tackle plastic pollution.  

Let us be inspired and lifted by these examples.

Excellencies, Dear friends,

We are in Cali to accelerate progress, commit resources, and elevate the role of Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities. We can – and we must – save the ecosystems that sustain us and keep our climate goals within reach.

The alternative is unthinkable.  The survival of our planet — and our own — is on the line. Let us choose wisely. Let us choose life. Let us make peace with nature.

Thank you. 

29 October 2024 - The Fate of the Maugean Skate, facing extinction in Macquarie Harbour on the west coast of Tasmania, has been kicked a year down the road after the next election by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek. (Australia Institute) The Australian Marine Conservation Society says there are only 40-120 adult Maugean skates left in its only home, Macquarie Harbour. They argue that the Maugean skate is just one extreme weather event away from extinction – an upturning of deep, oxygen-depleted waters wiped out nearly half the population in 2019. Removing salmon farming is the fastest way to improve oxygen levels for the skate to survive and recover. (AMCS)

Day 6 - 28 October.

IISD/ENB summary: "Text-based negotiations continued. Working Group II addressed conference room papers (CRPs) on several items under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP). Several contact and informal groups deliberated throughout the day and into the night."

IISD/ENB summed up day in their 28th October Daily Report section From the Corridors:

Delegates gathered for the second and final week of the UN Biodiversity Conference, following a weekend devoted to resolving divergences in contact and informal groups on high-stake items. Progress was reported on many issues regarding DSI, resource mobilization, and Article 8(j) (IPLCs and traditional knowledge), although disagreements remain on several fronts.

Delegates continued to show unhurried devotion to negotiations. With consensus still out of sight on most agenda items, many participants wondered when and how compromises will be built. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint, we are in for the long haul,” one experienced delegate commented, calling for resilience and commitment, and signaling that even though COP 16 concludes this week, parties should prepare for the ultramarathon - implementation.

29 October 2024 - Biodiversity finance lacking. "Seven countries and one provincial government pledged an additional $163 million to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund on Monday, dubbed the summit's 'finance day.'... Advocacy groups said the pledges - which brings the total raised by the fund to about $400 million - fell far short of the billions of dollars envisioned for the fund." (BDNews24)

29 October 2024 - COP16 - Scientists call for urgent action over ocean acidification. (Oceanographic) cientists argue that despite its ‘critical threat’ to ocean ecosystems, awareness around the severity of ocean acidification and its role in worsening the catastrophic levels of biodiversity loss is ‘woefully low’.

© Nathalia Angarita / Greenpeace
29 October 2024 - Greenpeace activists call for more biodiversity finance. Activists Delivered a 1.2 metre tall piggy bank to the central square of the COP16 venue, where governments are resuming a second week of UN biodiversity talks. Greenpeace says wealthy governments have failed to meet promised payments, further eroding trust between Global South and Global North. Activists held banners around the piggy bank, calling on governments to unlock the needed funding.  (Greenpeace)

Irène Wabiwa, Biodiversity Programme Manager, Greenpeace International, said: “Time to open the piggy bank! Two years ago, governments committed to provide $20 billion USD by 2025 but new pledges have been scarce in Cali. Across the world, people who protect nature suffer disproportionately from a catastrophic lack of funding. Governments are still billions of dollars short on the money they promised to deliver, only further negatively impacting trust and ambition. No more broken promises, money for nature protection cannot wait.” 

28 October 2024 - Thirty-eight per cent of the world’s trees are at risk of extinction according to the first Global Tree Assessment, published in an update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™(IUCN)

Excerpt from Media release:

For the first time, the majority of the world’s trees have been listed on the IUCN Red List, revealing that at least 16,425 of the 47,282 species assessed are at risk of extinction. Trees now account for over one quarter of species on the IUCN Red List, and the number of threatened trees is more than double the number of all threatened birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians combined. Tree species are at risk of extinction in 192 countries around the world.

“This comprehensive assessment presents the first global picture of the conservation status of trees, which enables us to make better informed conservation decisions and take action to protect trees where it is urgently needed,” said Dr Malin Rivers, Global Tree Assessment lead at Botanic Gardens Conservation International, a Red List Partner. “The work is a global effort, with over 1,000 tree experts involved. We need to continue to work together to scale up local, national and international tree conservation action to support people and the planet.”

The highest proportion of threatened trees is found on islands. Island trees are at particularly high risk due to deforestation for urban development and agriculture at all scales, as well as invasive species, pests and diseases. Climate change is increasingly threatening trees, especially in the tropics, through sea-level rise and stronger, more frequent storms. Addressing the threats that trees face, habitat protection and restoration, as well as ex situ conservation through seed banks and botanic garden collections are critical to prevent extinctions on islands and worldwide. Community action has already led to positive outcomes from the Juan Fernández islands to Cuba, from Madagascar to Fiji.

In South America – home to the greatest diversity of trees in the world – 3,356 out of 13,668 assessed species are at risk of extinction. Innovative approaches are needed to protect the high number of tree species in the region, where forest clearance for crop farming and livestock ranching are the largest threats. In Colombia, Red List assessments have informed national conservation action planning. Seven species of Endangered and Critically Endangered Magnolia have been used for the designation of five new Key Biodiversity Areas, which will be used by local and national government to inform spatial planning.

The IUCN Red List also shows that the loss of trees is a major threat to thousands of other plants, fungi and animals. As a defining component of many ecosystems, trees are fundamental to life on Earth through their role in carbon, water and nutrient cycles, soil formation and climate regulation. People also depend on trees, with over 5,000 of the tree species on the IUCN Red List used for timber in construction, and over 2,000 species for medicines, food and fuels respectively.

Watch IUCN  CBD COP16 Pavilion Day 8 livestream - 28 October : 

Video is Keyed 8:49:00 at Global Tree Assessment - advancing conservation action for Trees by Karen Barstow as part of the IUCN redlist panel discussion:

28th October was also Food Day at COP16.

IISD/ENB summarised the side events for the day: "The food-biodiversity-agriculture nexus is often overlooked, despite biodiversity serving as the foundation of food security and nutrition. Sustainable food and agriculture (agrifood) systems are essential for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). This event explored mainstreaming food security and biodiversity considerations across all levels of participation—from farmers and communities to national, regional and global platforms." Read More

28 October 2024 - The agrifood,  pesticide and fossil fuel companies were also at the Biodiversity COP16. Mapped: How Big Ag, Pharma, Pesticides and Other Industries Hope to Sway the UN Biodiversity Talks. Corporations have found ways to be heard during negotiations on reversing the drastic global decline in plant and animal life. (Desmog)

 "delegates and observers from powerful industry groups, which represent the companies whose operations are actively depleting the natural world. They range from the pesticide and biotechnology trade group CropLife International, to the commodities giant Bunge. Oil and gas majors such as ExxonMobil and Shell have sent staff to the summit, as have pharmaceutical giants such as GSK, and the multinational mining company Anglo American (see map, below).

"Some of these groups have lobbied against regulations to protect nature. The agrochemicals industry helped defeat EU pesticide-reduction reforms aimed at protecting its plummeting bird and bee populations. Major soy and grain traders blocked the EU deforestation regulation. "

27 October - Oceans Day side events

A series of official side events were organised for Ocean Day: Ocean as the Great Connector (IISD/ENB) Here is the official program for Ocean Day.

Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative publishing this Briefing note on marine Carbon Dioxide Removal issues. DOSI (2024) “Considerations for deep-sea environmental impact research on marine carbon dioxide removal” - Policy Brief. Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative. https://www.dosiproject.org/wp-content/uploads/DOSI-mCDRPolicy-Brief-Oct-2024_FINAL.pdf

Watch one session from Ocean Day:

 

27 October 2024 - COP16 gridlock over money drags into week two of UN biodiversity talks, with all eyes on wealthy Global North countries (Greenpeace)

26 October - Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration

Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration for "One Resilient Common Future" adopted, calling on all 56 Commonwealth nations to protect and restore the ocean in the face of severe climate change, pollution and impacts related to over-exploitation. (The Commonwealth) See also at Climate Citizen CHOGM Outcomes: Samoa Communique | Ocean Declaration |

Day 5 - 25 October: stocktake plenary

IISD/ENB summary: "Text-based negotiations continued. The two Working Groups addressed conference room papers (CRPs) on several items under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP), and the Nagoya Protocol (NP) on access and benefit-sharing (ABS). Several contact and informal groups deliberated throughout the day. An evening plenary took stock of progress, addressed organizational matters, and adopted a series of decisions."

IISD/ENB summed up day in their 25th October Daily Report section From the Corridors:

As the stocktake plenary loomed over Friday’s activities, the pressure to wrap up discussions in contact and working groups became more palpable with every passing hour. In the contact groups on synthetic biology and on climate change, the determination of Co-Chairs to complete their mandates was met with equal preparedness by parties to defend their national positions on every single paragraph of the draft decisions. In spite of lengthy deliberations, clean text was not forthcoming, due to both entrenched differences between parties and interlinkages between agenda items. While frustration increased, an optimist was heard commenting that “once delegates reach consensus on certain high-stake items, all remaining pieces of the puzzle will fall into place.”

The strenuous nature of co-chairing negotiations is often underappreciated, and losing one’s patience is a frequent occurrence. However, when a Co-Chair loses their voice, as seen in the contact group on planning, monitoring, reporting, and review, the longing for a day off becomes a goal on its own.

Day 4 - 24 October:

IISD/ENB summarised the day as  "Text-based negotiations continued in multiple settings. Working Group II continued consideration of conference room papers (CRPs). Several contact groups and informal groups deliberated throughout the day and into the night."

IISD/ENB summed up the fourth day in their 24th October Daily Report section From the Corridors:

“What time does the last bus leave?” queried delegates jokingly during the evening session of the Article 8(j) contact group. Afro-descendants came to the forefront of the day’s agenda, as the group addressed the proposal to recognize communities and people of African descent in CBD processes and implementation, while the International Afro-descendant Forum met in the neighboring tent. “Afro-descendants are often subject to racial discrimination, while their knowledge and practices are valuable for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use,” Latin American participants stressed, drawing attention to the work of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, established in the human rights realm. Others were more skeptical. “Aren’t Afro-descendants already included in the Convention’s agreed-upon term, ‘local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use’?” a European delegate queried. Yet another participant commented that the issue highlights the complex interlinkages between abstract terms used at the international level and diverse national and local realities.

Day 3 - 23 October: 

IISD/ENB summarised the day as "Text-based negotiations continued in multiple settings. Working Group II concluded the first reading of all its 26 agenda items for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP), and the Nagoya Protocol (NP) on access and benefit-sharing (ABS), and began consideration of conference room papers (CRPs). Multiple contact groups continued their work throughout the day."

IISD/ENB summed up the second day in their 23nd October Daily Report section From the Corridors:

With a series of items related to TK and IPLCs high on the agenda, participants lined up for the full-day meeting of the contact group on Article 8(j). Many, however, were surprised to see that the group remained caught up in reviewing details within specific tasks of the new work programme, rather than diving into the most controversial matters. “We are losing sight of the bigger picture,” one delegate sighed, pointing to the need to agree on institutional arrangements for future work rather than discuss already agreed-upon GBF language. IPLC representatives, on the other hand, awaited the deliberations on including Afro-descendants in the Convention’s work, which never came.

Photo by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis


Day 2 - 22 October: On finances and reforming the GEF

IISD/ENB summed up the second day in their 22nd October Daily Report section From the Corridors:

Discussions over financial resources are polarized in MEA negotiations, reflecting the unequal level of development among regions and divergent priorities. In addition to the difficulty of negotiations on how to close the biodiversity finance gap, which is estimated as high as 700 billion USD per year, the modalities of the Convention’s financial mechanism add another level of complexity. “The GEF has been serving the Convention well for many years now, was quick to establish the GBF Fund, and enjoys the trust of donor countries,” one supporter noted, summarizing the arguments. Opponents, however, insist that a deep reform is long overdue. “GEF governance structures are discriminatory,” one participant said passionately, sharing examples of challenges to access much-needed funding, “it is time for a dedicated global instrument for biodiversity finance.” 

 

Day 1 - 21 October: Agendas, contact groups

IISD/ENB summed up the first day in their 21st October Daily Report section From the Corridors:

With over 23,000 registered participants, the “People’s COP,” as the Colombian Presidency dubbed the meeting, is the largest UN Biodiversity Conference to date. “Such numbers show increased recognition of the urgency to address the biodiversity crisis,” one participant opined. Others pointed to the societal mobilization in the host country; yet others to increased awareness and the role of the media. Many agreed that, with such a degree of participation and increased visibility, the conference appears well-positioned to embody the ethos of the whole-of-society approach needed to reorient ways of life, incentivize behavioral change, and achieve the ambitious goals and targets of the GBF. 

21 October - Humanity is on the verge of ‘shattering Earth’s natural limits’, say experts in biodiversity warning (The Guardian) 

Cop16 at a glance: the big issues that will define talks at Colombia’s UN summit (Guardian)

  • Where is the money?
  • Can countries agree on biopiracy?
  • Will Indigenous groups play a role in decisions?
  • Can Colombia leverage the meeting for peace with its rebels?
  • How do we measure progress?
21 October - Climate Action Network outlines a set of demands and issues for COP16, emphasising the need for the  Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to be transformed into ambitious national-level implementation. "At a time of multiple converging and mutually reinforcing crises, it is critical that national biodiversity and climate plans are aligned, integrate a human-rights based approach and do not rely on dangerous approaches and distractions. " (CANi)

The CAN demands / Key messages for COP16, edited for brevity below:

1. Translate the KM-GBF into national implementation.

2. Place Indigenous Peoples’ and environmental defenders’ at the centre of the agenda.  Indigenous and local communities are both on the frontlines of the climate and biodiversity crises and at the forefront of solutions. Their knowledge, leadership, and stewardship have proven crucial for protecting biodiversity- and carbon-rich ecosystems. However, Indigenous Peoples and environmental defenders face alarming levels of violence and intimidation from those profiting from the destruction of nature, and are not sufficiently represented in decision-making processes. 

3. Step up ambition on resource mobilisation. Including;

A. Developed countries must significantly and urgently increase their efforts to meet the commitment of mobilising at least $20 billion per year for developing countries by 2025.

B. All countries need to set a clear and credible resource mobilisation plan to deliver on Targets 18 and 19 that includes: Reforming their most environmentally harmful subsidies to address nature destruction, in line with global commitments on limiting warming to 1.5°C and protecting biodiversity; Ensuring direct access to funding for Indigenous Peoples and local communities; Addressing the structural economic and political conditions impeding public investment and the reform of harmful flows (including austerity, debt, tax avoidance)

C. Biodiversity credits and offsets are identified in Target 19 as “innovative schemes” to increase financial resources for biodiversity. Given the current trajectory of carbon markets and multi-stakeholder discussions, it's likely that most biodiversity credits will be used for offsetting. Biodiversity credits used for offsetting risk allowing the destruction of untouched nature and replacing it with degraded or less valuable ecosystems, ultimately reducing global biodiversity rather than preserving it. Just as carbon offsetting delays climate ambition, biodiversity offsetting will only delay urgent action on addressing the root causes of biodiversity loss, be used as greenwashing and put traditional practices, human rights and the rights of Indigenous Peoples at risk.

4. Strengthen joint climate and biodiversity ambition. Increased cooperation, coordinated planning and implementation that prioritises a fair, fast, full, and funded phase out of all fossil fuels, and addresses the root causes of biodiversity loss and ecological degradation. Importantly, tackling the biodiversity and climate crises together must not result in greenwashing, dangerous distractions, false solutions, and human rights violations.

5. Finalise a robust monitoring framework for the KM-GBF, as well as processes for national reporting and global reviews of progress. The monitoring framework should retain and incorporate, as appropriate, indicators that facilitate reporting on the ecological integrity of ecosystems, as well as tracking progress on restoration efforts by realm, biome and ecosystem functional group, according to IUCN’s Global Ecosystem Typology. Countries need to include headline and appropriate indicators for Target 8 to ensure that climate actions do not negatively impact biodiversity. The monitoring framework should be aligned with and complement the Paris Agreement’s Global Stocktake cycle and the development of indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation

6. High-level political engagement

7. Agree on the details of a new multilateral mechanism for the sharing of benefits from Digital Sequencing of Information (DSI) that secures fair and equitable distribution of benefits, increased funding for biodiversity, while ensuring benefits for and respecting the rights and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

8. Reaffirm and strengthen de facto moratorium on geoengineering.

9. Ensure energy transitions don’t harm biodiversity and human rights: Climate change is a major driver of biodiversity loss. 

10. Advance gender justice: Biodiversity loss disproportionately affects women and girls due to gender disparities and differentiated gender needs and roles in the use and management of biodiversity. All aspects of the CBD negotiations must recognise and maintain a strong commitment to addressing the power imbalances that underpin gender inequalities, especially in rural areas. 

IUCN Issues Briefing for October:

"Estimates based on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ tell us that one million species are currently threatened with extinction, but modelling demonstrates it is not too late to reverse these trends." (IUCN)

18 October - Friends of the Earth International (FoEi) on The biodiversity Market Mirage – Report. How biodiversity offsetting and crediting destroys nature and undermines the rights of peoples.

"In this report, presented at the opening of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP16 in Cali, Colombia, we take a closer look at biodiversity offsets and credits, which are part of the plethora of market-based schemes that are being presented as antidotes to the biodiversity crisis. Biodiversity offsets are in fact policy schemes that may or may not be market-based, but we consider them as part and parcel of free-market capitalist ideology. Biodiversity offsets and credits promote and normalise the idea that the loss of biodiversity and nature in one area can be compensated for elsewhere. The various articles compiled here expose the myriad of problems associated with these schemes, showing that they are yet another false ‘solution’ proposed by the beneficiaries of neoliberal economic monetisation and financialization."

12 October - Greenpeace: 5 demands to governments to protect biodiversity at UN biodiversity COP16 (Greenpeace):
1. $20 billion USD by 2025 to fund global biodiversity protection (rich Global North governments, we’re looking at you)
2. Direct access to finance for Indigenous Peoples and local communities
3. A plan from governments to link climate and biodiversity action ambition
4. Increase in ambition and implementation of national-level contributions to the global biodiversity framework
5. Agreement on how to amend the network of ecologically or biologically significant marine areas

5th meeting Subsidiary Body on Implementation 

The 5th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI5) is meeting prior to COP16, from 16-18 October.

To date, 94 parties have submitted their national targets and 29 have submitted their updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), with numbers still rising.  

Many parties stressed the need for financial resources and capacity building, as well as technology transfer, and technical and scientific collaboration.

Also stressed data gaps and challenges related to the development of indicators and monitoring capacity, including toward assessing the contribution of national actions to achieving global goals. They also underscored linkages between development and implementation of NBSAPs in developing countries on the one hand, and implementation of financial commitments by developed countries on the other.

18 October SBI meeting ends

IISD/ENB summed up the closing of the 5th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation in their 18th October Daily Report section From the Corridors:

On the last day of SBI 5, questions of prioritization and time management took center stage. Connectivity issues slowed progress in the morning during consideration of draft recommendations. In addition, many delegates expressed concern at the time spent on minor preambular details, rather than focusing on more substantive matters. While some expressed frustration over the slow pace of deliberations, others commented that lengthy debates on seemingly innocuous provisions usually reflect principled differences over crucial issues – in this case the role of the GEF in the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols. At the same time, delegates celebrated the announcement that 100 parties have submitted national targets aligned with the GBF, applauding these first steps toward national-level implementation.

With COP 16 around the corner, issues regarding resource mobilization and the financial mechanism of the Convention will be in the spotlight, with discussions on the GEF expected to continue and intensify. Other agenda items feature similarly high on the agenda. These include the multilateral mechanism on benefit-sharing from use of digital sequence information on genetic resources and the new programme of work on Article 8(j) of the Convention regarding Indigenous Peoples and local communities and traditional knowledge, alongside the GBF’s monitoring framework, the mechanism to strengthen technical and scientific cooperation, and several other ecosystem-related and cross-cutting items. Resolution of technical problems and good time management will certainly remain of essence, as will be the resolve to move forward in good faith and a spirit of compromise.

The COP16 meeting will formally open on Monday 21 October. 

Australia's actions in leadup

According to the Convention on Biological Diversity Database Australia last contributed a National Report or National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP): 

2021-11-04     Australia    National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (v.3)
2014-05-09     Australia    Fifth National Report

Australia's Sixth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity (2020) is listed on the DCCEEW website

Australia was due to deliver its Seventh National Report by COP16 in 2024 and has not done so.

DCCEEW comment:

All Contracting Parties, including Australia, are required by Article 26 of the Convention on Biological Diversity to report every four years on the measures taken to implement the Convention’s Strategic Plan and Aichi Targets, and implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP).

14 October 2024 - Environment Minister announces National roadmap for protecting and conserving 30% of Australia’s land by 2030 (DCCEEW)

8-10 October 2024 - Inaugural Global Nature Positive Summit. Holding this summit was an undertaking Australia made at CBD COP15. See Climate Citizen: Inaugural Global Nature Positive Summit more financial greenwash than tackling decline in nature and biodiversity

8 October 2024 - Environment Minister announces ‘Huge environmental win’: Australia to protect 52% of its oceans, more than any other country, Plibersek says. Sub-Antarctic marine park expansion welcomed but scientists say some areas important to penguins and seals missed out on sanctuary-level protection (Guardian), and under the Biodiversity convention definition only about 25% is now adequately protected according to Dr Ian Cresswell.(Guardian). Marine scientists say Australia has squandered the chance to show global leadership failing to protect important areas for marine biodiversity. (The Conversation)  Meanwhile 400km from the Nature Positive Summit The NSW Forestry Corporation has started logging in Bulga state forest, inland from Port Macquarie,in habitat of threatened species including endangered koalas and the endangered greater glider. (Guardian) 

7 October 2024 - Australian Government spends around 50 times more on subsidising activities that harm the environment than it spends on helping biodiversity each year argues the Biodiversity Council. The assessment found that around 4% of the federal budget goes to subsidising activities that are likely to have a medium to high adverse impact on biodiversity; a total of $26.3 billion per year. (Biodiversity Council)

30 September 2024 - Nature Positive market? Economics editor Ross Gittins nails the problem of nature market offsets and credits and the solution: "how else can we pursue nature positive? Well, here’s a radical thought: governments could stop logging native forests, stop further land clearing, stop subsidising fossil fuels, stop permitting new mines and gas fields, and start spending a lot of money restoring land and habitat." (The Age)

17 September 2024 - The big Labor fail in updating Australia's Nature laws to include climate impacts and beefed compliance. Adam Morton on The environment was meant to be ‘back on the priority list’ under Labor. Instead we’ve seen a familiar story (Guardian) "Every year since the act came into force in 2000, Austalia’s threatened species populations have actually fallen 2-3%. When development, agriculture and infrastructure projects do get assessed under these laws, about 99% are approved. Experts have found the laws permit ongoing destruction of critical habitat for threatened species.... our government is showing worrying signs of letting industry and developers control their environmental agenda." (The Conversation) Biodiversity Council has urged Labor Government to establish a robust EPA and EIA (Biodiversity Council).

3 September 2024 - 20 more species added to Australia’s threatened wildlife and flora list, including a species of Waratah. One ecological community – the King Island scrub complex, was also added.The fresh listings bring the total number of endangered plants, animals and ecosystems to 2,245. This listing comes days after the Albanese Government suggested watering down new EPA legislation. (Guardian)

20 August - New report: Koalas or coal mines, how the federal government can save Australia’s most iconic species’ - national report launched by alliance of climate and nature conservation groups focussed on mining threat to endangered Koala habitat (Mackay Conservation Group PDF)

7 August 2024 - More species added to Australia's endangered list. Australia’s government now recognises 2,224 species as being under threat of extinction.  (Australian Conservation Foundaton)

Biodiversity Stripes 1970-2020

There has been a 70 percent decline in biodiversity in the 50 years from 1970 to 2020.

Asia Pacific Biodiversity Stripes:


Comparing Biodiversity stripes to Climate Stripes:

Global Biodiversity Stripes Comparison:

More Information: Biodiversity Stripes from University of Derby

Background:

Climate Citizen, 20 December 2022: The Montreal Moment for Biodiversity: Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted https://takvera.blogspot.com/2022/12/the-montreal-moment-for-biodiversity.html 

Climate Citizen, 19 December 2022: Australia and the UN Biodiversity Conference COP15 
https://takvera.blogspot.com/2022/12/australia-and-un-biodiversity.html

Climate Citizen, 8 December 2022 "Time to forge a Peace Pact with Nature" says UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at COP15 Biodiversity conference: https://takvera.blogspot.com/2022/12/time-to-forge-peace-pact-with-nature.html

Climate Citizen, 23 September 2022, Australia commits to Global Nature Pledge to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 during UN General Assembly https://takvera.blogspot.com/2022/09/australia-commits-to-global-nature.html

Climate Citizen, 2 September 2021: Global framework on Biodiversity - Australian statement on the Convention on Biodiversity 2030 target https://takvera.blogspot.com/2021/09/global-framework-on-biodiversity.html



Posted by takvera (John Englart) at 1:00 AM
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