COP16: What’s at stake for the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference

Gathering in one of the most biodiverse landscapes on the planet, governments, Indigenous leaders, the business community and civil society will discuss the challenges and opportunities we face to reverse habitat loss, protect endangered species and preserve the ecosystems on which all life depends. 

The stakes couldn’t be higher. The goal is to transform the commitments of the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) into actionable plans. Implementing the GBF demands global cooperation, recognizing biodiversity’s critical role in our economy, food security, climate stability, and planetary health. Ultimately, the decisions made at COP16 will shape our planet’s future.

Our goals for decisions at COP16

TNC will be in Cali advocating for three transformative measures:

Implement the Global Biodiversity Framework and build in accountability

The fundamental goal at CBD COP16 will be for parties to develop a framework for implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework. COP15 was about agreeing on targets for protecting nature—COP16 is about agreeing on a concrete plan for actually meeting those targets. The GBF is about fundamentally transforming how countries operate, holding the world accountable for protecting nature. For this plan to be successful, it must include robust monitoring and accountability mechanisms, secure adequate financial resources, integrate local and indigenous knowledge, and harmonize conservation with economic growth.

Integrate biodiversity across food, energy and finance

TNC is working closely with partners to ensure that mainstreaming biodiversity remains a strong component of the final framework. Mainstreaming biodiversity targets within the GBF ensures nature is considered and protected across all sectors, including food, energy and finance. Achieving mainstreaming targets is critical for valuing biodiversity, but these are also some of the most challenging targets for governments to address. Mainstreaming biodiversity requires aligning financial flows with biodiversity goals, putting in place effective governance structures, and engaging diverse stakeholders, including Indigenous communities and the private sector. It won’t be easy, but to be successful, nature must be integrated into all aspects of our lives. 

Invest in nature for equitable conservation

Meeting the GBF’s finance targets is essential for reaching any of the other targets. But while the world has made incredible strides in developing innovative solutions for financing nature, we still struggle to get money to the countries that need it most. At COP16, world leaders have the chance to simplify and streamline access to financial resources for developing countries, Indigenous Peoples and local communities—ensuring a truly global investment in nature where everyone can achieve conservation goals equitably. 

Colombia: A haven for biodiversity

Hosting COP16 in Colombia emphasizes the strategic importance and natural wealth of the country. With more than 67,000 species of plants and animals, Colombia is the third most biodiverse country in the world.

Yet many of Colombia’s most biodiverse regions lack formal protections or are at risk from climate change. TNC has been working with local partners to protect Colombia’s iconic landscape, including by creating the Natural National Park Serranía de Manacacías, which covers 68,000 hectares and connects the Amazon rainforest with the Orinoquia, the world’s largest tropical savanna.

Home to 40% of the world's existing species, the second longest barrier reef, and more than 1/3 of freshwater resources, including the Amazon and Orinoco basins, the two most biodiverse on the planet, Latin America is a vital source of the world’s natural resources. But it also faces great challenges to halt the loss of biodiversity and face the impacts of the climate change crisis. Learn more about TNC’s work in this treasured part of the world.