COP16 Update

By John Meisner, Strategic Communications Manager, Oct. 2024.

The recently concluded COP16 meeting in Cali, Colombia highlighted the intersections between climate change and biodiversity, focusing on the Global South’s concerns, Indigenous rights, and the need for conservation to address the roots of ecological decline. I attended some of the most critical discussions and decisions from COP16 and offer this brief summary. 

Resistance to Biodiversity Offsets 

The debate around biodiversity offsets underscored a divide between Global North interests and many Global South countries and Indigenous leaders.  Intended as a mechanism to compensate for environmental impacts by conserving or restoring ecosystems elsewhere, biodiversity offsets faced sharp criticism. Many from the Global South view this approach as superficial, Western, and essentially extractive in nature. It is viewed as a transactional solution that commodifies nature rather than addressing the root causes of biodiversity loss. Indigenous leaders argued that offsets prioritize the agendas of wealthier nations while neglecting vital conservation needs within their territories. The backlash led to several protests by Indigenous groups, who issued a call for more community-led approaches to global conservation. 

Bridging the Gap Between Climate and Biodiversity 

A recurring theme was the need to more closely align the climate and biodiversity COPs. Delegates repeated the phrase “from Cali to Belem,” referencing the biodiversity and climate COPs being hosted in South America. This sets high expectations for COP30 in Belem, where we can expect an unprecedented focus on nature-based solutions as core components of climate action. Recognizing Wildlife as a Climate Ally 

Another focus was the often-overlooked role of wildlife in carbon sequestration. Presently, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) account for wildlife only in terms of biomass, omitting their broader impact on carbon cycling and sequestration through seed dispersal and other ecological processes. Research indicates that this leaves up to 1.5 Gt CO2 sequestered by wildlife unaccounted for annually. NGOs, IGOs, and research science bodies alike advocated for the inclusion of wildlife conservation, rewilding, and the emerging wildlife economy within NDCs. Trophic rewilding—reintroducing keystone species to restore ecosystems—was presented as an effective means of enhancing climate resilience, adaptation, and carbon sequestration. By valuing wildlife’s role in carbon capture, countries can strengthen the link between biodiversity conservation and climate action, building robust frameworks that encourage targeted funding and tangible impacts.   

Climate Resilience as a Conservation Imperative 

To ensure the durability of conservation efforts, several intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) stressed the need to embed climate resilience into conservation strategies. This entails safeguarding critical migratory pathways for wildlife and protecting naturally resilient ecosystems. UNEP’s Director emphasized that integrating climate mitigation into conservation is no longer optional—it is essential to the future success of these initiatives.   

Progress on Indigenous Rights: Article 8(j) 

On the final day of COP16, there was a lot of attention to negotiations over Article 8(j), which calls on Parties to respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities.  Indigenous groups campaigned for equal representation in decisions impacting their communities and territories, calling for the establishment of a subsidiary body for this purpose.  In a significant step forward, COP16 concluded with an agreement to establish this subsidiary body, a move that will afford Indigenous communities a greater voice in regard to the Global Biodiversity Framework. This outcome was a hard-won victory, achieved after persistent advocacy by Indigenous leaders and their allies. 

Digital Sequencing of Genetic Resources and the 'Cali Fund' 

With advancements in genetic research, digital sequencing has provided immense scientific value but also raised concerns about the exploitation of genetic resources from the Global South. To address this, the COP16 established the 'Cali Fund—a mechanism for corporations to contribute financial support to Indigenous-led conservation initiatives. However, the details around contribution requirements remain unclear. As implementation unfolds, the Cali Fund has the potential to ensure fairer compensation for the use of genetic information originating in Indigenous territories, supporting locally led conservation efforts. 

Looking Ahead 

COP16 underscored the urgent need for innovative and equitable solutions in conservation and climate action. This includes a clear recognition that Indigenous voices and biodiversity are central to these efforts.  Bridging this need with action, the International Conservation Fund of Canada (ICFC) remains committed to addressing these challenges on the ground. ICFC’s focus on Indigenous-led conservation aligns with COP16’s call to embed climate resilience and community voices into conservation strategies. By working with local partners, securing areas of high conservation value, and advocating for biodiversity’s role in climate adaptation, ICFC remains on the forefront of a new, integrated approach to conservation. As the world moves toward COP30, ICFC will continue to lead by example, helping to shape a future where conservation efforts meet both local and global environmental needs.