Biodiversity 

Keep up with FAO at CBD COP16 in Colombia

24/10/2024

The 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference, including the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), is hosted in Cali, Colombia from 21 October to 1 November 2024.

The theme of this year's CBD COP16 is Peace with Nature. It is a chance to check on progress made to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) agreed at COP15, and the level of alignment of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) with it. 

Attended by participants from over 190 countries, COP16 brings together governments, observer organizations, indigenous communities, businesses, youth groups, civil society academia and the public. 

 

What's happening at COP16?

One of the main objectives of COP16 is to translate the global biodiversity targets set at COP15 into actionable strategies to advance the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). Governments are requested to submit their national biodiversity targets and align their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) with the KMGBF. 

Key objectives include: 

  • Finalizing the monitoring framework of the KMGBF. 
  • Negotiations to establish a multilateral mechanism to share benefits from the use of digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources. 
  • Mobilizing resources to bridge the USD 700 billion biodiversity finance gap. 
  • Integrating Indigenous knowledge into biodiversity strategies. 


FAO's role at COP16

For FAO, COP16 serves as a platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing and decision-making on the role of food and agriculture in reversing biodiversity loss,  building resilience to climate change and improving food security and nutrition for all.  

Guided by its Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity across Agricultural Sectors, FAO is working to reduce the impact of agrifood systems on biodiversity while promoting practices that contribute to conservation, restoration, and the sustainable use of biodiversity. 

FAO works with countries to build policy coherence, develop technical solutions, and engage stakeholders, while supporting key negotiations that position agrifood systems at the heart of strategies and solutions.

 

Keep up with FAO at COP16

Stay tuned for updates on events, videos and more on our webpage! 

🌐 FAO at COP16


Event highlights

View the full programme   |   KMGBF Pavilion programme 



Forests and Water Day | 25 October

Forest and Water Day will focus on the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of forests and water-related ecosystems for the successful implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and numerous global commitments. Consult the tentative programme here.


Ocean Day | 27 October

As part of Ocean Day, FAO, in partnership with SPREP and IUCN-FEG, is organizing an event to highlight fishers as stewards of marine biodiversity and culture: People and the Ocean - Fishers as stewards of biodiversity. Fishers from various regions will share how their actions support ecological health and human well-being, and their role in delivering on the targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
   
Food Day | 28 October 
Co-hosted by FAO, Food Day will not only highlight the connection between biodiversity and food security but also explore practical and scalable solutions for transforming agrifood systems to support biodiversity. Follow the panels, and hear from governments, food producers, and international organizations how we can work towards biodiversity-friendly solutions to ensure food security.
   
Restoration Day | 30 October 
Restoration Day, organized by FAO, UNEP and Partners under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, will explore the actions needed to achieve the ambition of Target 2, bringing 30% of degraded ecosystems worldwide under effective restoration, including degraded terrestrial, inland waters, and coastal and marine ecosystems worldwide.
  

 

­­­­­­­­­High-Level Ministerial Luncheon | 30 October 

FAO is co-organizing a high-level ministerial luncheon with the CBD Secretariat and the Colombian Presidency to launch the Agri-NBSAPs Support Initiative. The initiative is designed to mainstream biodiversity into agrifood sectors across policies and programmes, ensuring food security and nutrition. Ministers and high-level representatives will discuss the development and implementation of their NBSAPs.

 

 
Stories










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The place of agriculture in peace

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Savouring heritage through forgotten foods

Rediscovering Africa's native foods for a sustainable agricultural renaissance

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Publications

FAO maintains the FAO Biodiversity Knowledge Hub, offering over 370 tools and instruments to support KMGBF implementation, focusing on methodologies and tools, data and indicators and capacity development.

 



Useful links

• FAO’s work on biodiversity
• FAO Biodiversity Knowledge Hub 
• Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
• International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food & Agriculture


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