COP16 the United Nations Biodiversity Summit is expected in Colombia with 190 countries and 15,000 participants in Cali starting this Sunday. The event seeks to discuss the ever evolving populations of wildlife across the globe and diminishing ecosystems. The current government in Colombia is headed by Gustavo Petro and prioritizes more access to representation for Indigenous people. Susana Muhamad from Environment expressed the direction to make this ‘the Cop of the people,’ and said discussions about biodiversity should involve stakeholders.
Indigenous Participation and Inclusivity
Colombia’s environment ministry has announced the plans to establish the environmental authorities of Indigenous people with legal personality, as public entities targeting to pay the historical debt of the state to Indigenous peoples. This move has been welcomed by Indigenous organisations as an effort to let them stand for their ecosystems. However, some representatives, such as Harol Ipuchima of the Maguta people, still doubt the real level of Indigenous participation in decision-making at the international level in the sphere of environmental protection.
COP26 will have a public sector area called the Green Zone where 1000 events including discussion and performance will be held. For Ximena Barrera, Director at WWF Colombia, this is a chance to inform and engage Colombians – with 46% worried about natural resources and 70% willing to do something about it.
Issues of Biodiversity in the World
COP16 is the first meeting of the convention since the COP15 Kunming-Montreal meeting where leaders committed to the world’s first set of ambitious goals to protect nature. But the change has been incremental; only 10 percent of the signatories have come out with action plans, and funding is a far from the targeted $20 billion annually. Wildlife populations are almost at the ‘tipping point’ and will call for the COP16 to act on the objectives to preserve the earth’s resources.
