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From Geneva to Cali | International Geneva @ UN Biodiversity Conference

Last updated: 24 Feb 2025

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The 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference took place in Cali, Colombia, from 21 October to 2 November 2024. This major event, convened under the theme “Peace with Nature,” included concurrent meetings of the governing bodies of the Convention and its Protocols, including the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP16), the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP-MOP11), and the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits arising from their Utilization (NP-MOP5).

About the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference

The UN Biodiversity Conference took place in Cali, Colombia, from 21 October to 2 November 2024. This major event, convened under the theme “Peace with Nature,” included concurrent meetings of the governing bodies of the Convention and its Protocols, including the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP16), the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP-MOP11), and the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits arising from their Utilization (NP-MOP5). It kicks off this year’s series of UN summits on Biodiversity, Climate and Land, advancing negotiations of the three global treaties that emerged from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.

At COP16, participants reviewed the state of implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), including through the alignment of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and resource mobilization.

UN Biodiversity Conference Official Website
COP16 News Coverage
IISD ENB daily updates
Rewatch Plenaries on UN Web TV

COP16 Outcomes

The 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 16) was suspended at 8.27 am of Saturday 2 November, after roughly 12 hours of meeting in the Plenary session. COP 16 lost quorum and was suspended before approval of a few last items. It will resume at a later date and venue to complete the agenda. Member States:

  • agreed on an expanded role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in biodiversity decision-making, establishing a subsidiary body on Article 8(j) and related provisions of the Convention,
  • adopted a decision on the role of people of African descent in the implementation of the Convention,
  • adopted an agreement on the operationalization of a new global mechanism to share benefits from digital genetic information.
  • failed to establish a new wider biodiversity fund and to approve the Convention budget for the next two years.

With a record number of 23,000 pre-registered delegates, a High-level Segment attended by six Heads of States, more than 130 Ministers and Vice Ministers, and over 70 leaders of international organisations, what has been by far the largest CBD COP — the People’s COP — welcomed and allowed the participation of a broad set of stakeholders, with Indigenous Peoples at the centre stage. The results, built on a spirit of compromise, and dialogue, demonstrate that “multilateralism can still achieve results in a fractious time”.

COP16 decided Armenia will host the UN Biodiversity Conference COP17 in 2026.

→ Read more on the outcomes in the CBD press release and the Earth Negotiation Bulletin.

Reactions to the outcomes of the Cali meetings include:

Summary Report IISD ENB
Carbon Brief Summary

Resumed Sessions of the UN Biodiversity Conference

This week, the resumed sessions of the UN Biodiversity Conference, including the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol and the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol, will convene at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome, Italy, from 25 to 27 February 2025. The resumed sessions will address agenda items left unresolved following the suspension of the meeting due to loss of quorum in the early hours of 2 November 2024. → Follow the IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin live coverage

Key issues for the resumed discussions will include:

Additional news include:

International Geneva @ UN Biodiversity Conference

There was a strong multilateral Geneva presence at the UN Biodiversity Conference, providing contributions to the events and discussions ongoing in the various zones.

Thematic Days

  • Biodiversity and Health Day | 24 October at the GBF Pavilion | Co-organized by Colombia, CBD, WHO and UNEP, the day aims at raising awareness about the interlinkages between biodiversity and health, and highlight the importance of biodiversity and health interlinkages for the implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
  • Forest and Water Day | 25 October at the GBF Pavilion | Co-organized by CBD, UNEP, Minanamata Convetion, Ramsar Convention, UN Water, IUCN, WWF and others, the day put a spotlight 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.
  • Trade Day |  26 October at the GBF Pavilion | For the first time at a UN Biodiversity Conference, a thematic day on trade. Trade Day’ is co-organized by UNCTAD, WTO and the CBD Secretariats and UNEP, in collaboration with other partners to facilitate and advance discussions among negotiators and stakeholders on potential pathways, best practices and solutions for trade and trade-related policies to address biodiversity loss and implement the goals and targets of the GBF.
  • Business and Biodiversity Forum | 27 October | Discussed how can business support the building blocks of implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework, a topic of interest for the various business organizations based in Geneva.
  • Nature and Culture Summit 2024 | 26 – 27 October | Addressed topics such as a Human Rights-based approaches to conserving biocultural diversity and the the role of indigenous and traditional territories in area-based conservation.
  • Finance and Biodiversity Day | UNEP FI led the second Finance and Biodiversity Day to take place on 28 October 2024 aimed to support resource mobilization and alignment of financial flows with the vision and mission of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
UN Biodiversity Conference Associated Parallel Meetings
COP16 Green Zone Agenda

Stakeholders Engagement

Business for Nature

Business for Nature and its partner organizations bring together leading businesses at COP16 who are ready to push for high ambition and accelerated government action, thus collectively demonstrate business leadership and action.

CIEL

CIEL experts are at COP16 to monitor topics such as fossil fuel phase-out, geoengineering and the plastics treaty and co-organized the side event Climate geoengineering and biodiversity – why the CBD needs to affirm precaution on 23 October.

CITES

CITES, as one of the conventions of the biodiversity cluster, was present in Cali and engage in various events.

Community of Practice on Environment, Climate, Conflict, and Peace (ECCP)

The Community of Practice on Environment, Climate, Conflict, and Peace (ECCP), as part of the Peace@CBD collective, will also be present at various peace-related activities at CBD, highlighting policy priorities for addressing peace and insecurity during implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Convention on Wetlands

The Convention on Wetlands is co-organizing and contributing to various side events and has provided important inputs with the preparation of a Brief on the Convention on Wetlands for CBD COP16; a Policy Brief on Upscaling wetland conservation, restoration and wise use through National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and a Technical Report on scaling up wetland conservation and restoration to deliver the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

GEO

The Group on Earth Observation (GEO) together with GEOBON, Ai2 and Esri are hosting a pavilion on Earth observation and cutting-edge technology to support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

ILO

ILO was present with the aim of integrating biodiversity with the promotion of decent work. It organized a series of events in both the Blue Zone and the Green Zone.

ISO

ISO is at COP16 to showcase the importance of standards in supporting biodiversity and for the launch of ICONTEC’s Biodiversity Committee, with members from the ISO/TC 331 Biodiversity committee

IUCN

IUCN is hosting a pavilion under the banner “Unite for Nature, Home of Union” in the Blue Zone and host over 40 official side events. → Learn more about IUCN positions on COP16 priorities in IUCN Position Paper for CBD COP16 on scientific and technical issues and IUCN Position Paper for CBD COP16 on support mechanisms.

Minamata Convention on Mercury

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is participating to underscore the importance of coordinated action to protect global biodiversity, highlighting the Convention’s efforts in reducing mercury pollution, a major threat to both biodiversity and human health, with a special focus on vulnerable populations such as Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

OHCHR

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is present in various areas, and hosted the side event Inclusive Conversations: Exploring the Role of a Human Rights-Based Approach for Biodiversity and Climate Action on 22 October.

TESS

As governments and stakeholders gather in Colombia for the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference, TESS was be present supporting trade-related cooperation to protect and restore nature for sustainable development.

UN Trade and Development

UN  Trade and Development is co-hosting the Trade Day and engaged in various events.

UNEP

UNEP is co-organizing, supporting and participating in various events.

UNEP FI

UNEP FI led the second Finance and Biodiversity Day to take place on 28 October 2024 aimed to support resource mobilization and alignment of financial flows with the vision and mission of the Global Biodiversity Framework. 

WBCSD

WBCSD is at COP16 to bring the voice of the business community through various side events and focused on ensuring business is involved to speed up action on the NBSAPs working on headline indicators, targets and standards to demonstrate accountability and enable impactful action; contributing to defining and shaping a just transition agenda with an emphasis on the role business.

WHO

WHO is engaged in various events.

WIPO

WIPO is hosting two side events to present WIPO’s Work on Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge: the WIPO Toolkit on Genetic Resources and Genetic Resources Data and the WIPO Community Entreprises Program (CEP)and the new WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge respectively on 22 and 30 October 2024.

WTO

WTO is co-hosting the Trade Day and engaged in various events.

WWF

WWF is at COP16 to push for urgent and ambitious action and is providing technical advice, research, and insights. WWF has launched a few documents ahead of COP16, including WWF expectations for CBD COP16, Global Roadmap for a Nature-Positive Economy, 2024 Living Planet Report, and actively engaged in various events.

Other events co-organized by Geneva actors include:

Side Events Schedule

Reports

  • Global Ecosystems Atlas unveiled to transform ecosystems stewardship | The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) announced the launch of the proof-of-concept of the Global Ecosystems Atlas, the first harmonised resource dedicated to mapping and monitoring all the world’s ecosystems. The Global Ecosystems Atlas will serve as an essential tool to support the protection, restoration and sustainable management of ecosystems critical to addressing global environmental crises.
  • Protected Planet Report | Launched by UNEP WCMC and IUCN, the report provides the first official global evaluation of progress towards one of the Framework’s 23 targets – Target 3 (the global commitment to protect and conserve 30% of the Earth’s lands and waters by 2030).  Target 3 goes well beyond coverage, it requires that protected and conserved areas are effectively managed, equitably governed and recognized with respect for the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. It also commits governments to conserve the most important natural spaces and to ensure that these areas are connected to each other. In short, the elements of the target call for in situ conservation to be scaled up in ways that benefit both nature and people.
  • First Global Tree Assessment | According to the first Global Tree Assessment, published in the updated IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, thirty-eight % of the world’s trees are at risk of extinction. 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.
  • Designing and managing protected and conserved areas to support inland water ecosystems and biodiversity | Motivated by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s inclusion of inland waters in the target to conserve 30% of the planet by 2030, this IUCN report provides guidance in employing protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures to benefit these ecosystems and the biodiversity they support. Through a series of case studies and synthesized research, it highlights how integrating the unique needs of inland waters into area-based strategies can improve conservation effectiveness across all realms, build climate resilience and sustain critical ecosystem services.
  • What Are Nature Strategies and Nature Transition Plans? | Developed by Business for Nature, Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zer, Science Based Targets Network, Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, WBCSD, WEF and WWF, this explainer document aims to help organizations articulate how they plan to respond and contribute to the transition implied by the GBF and support businesses and financial institutions drive accountability, and manage their nature-related dependencies, risks and opportunities.
  • Exploring nature-positive buildings | WBCSD, in collaboration with its members and supported by global sustainable development consultancy Arup, has launched this research on how to measure and monitor the nature impacts of buildings across their whole lifecycle.

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