After reflecting on the outcomes of CBD COP16, CCI gathered its community Wednesday afternoon to discuss key decisions, address unanswered questions, and start planning the post-COP roadmap for achieving biodiversity targets. 

As the largest biodiversity conference to date, this year’s CBD COP16 set a new benchmark by bringing together an incredible array of voices from around the world. The event demonstrated an unparalleled degree of diversity and collaboration among government officials, non-governmental organisations, Indigenous representatives, and private sector professionals. 

For CCI, it was also a milestone moment, with partners attending in record numbers and contributing their expertise and leadership. Through collaboration with the University of Cambridge and leading nature conservation organisations, CCI helped to amplify their messages on the global stage, promoting synergies across the partnership.

Moderated by CCI’s Executive Director Melissa Leach, Wednesday’s panel featured insights from a range of experts from our partner organisations who attended the summit: Daniela Guarás (UNEP-WCMC), Chris Sandbrook (University of Cambridge), Julie Dimitrijevic (Fauna & Flora), Melanie Heath (TRAFFIC), Fiona Dobson (RSPB), and Amy McDougall (BirdLife International). 

Daniela Guarás, involved in negotiations for UNEP-WCMC, spoke on the key outcomes of COP16, including the creation of the “Cali Fund”. This fund requires companies that use digital sequence information (DSI) from genetic data to contribute a portion of their profits. At the Summit, it was agreed that 50% of the Cali Fund will be allocated to support Indigenous Peoples and local communities, though questions remain about whether contributions will be mandatory and how the funds will be distributed. 

In addition to acknowledging the importance of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in biodiversity protection, COP16 took further actions to enable and amplify their contributions to the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). A permanent Subsidiary Body was established, providing a platform for IPLCs to collaborate with Parties and other organisations to incorporate their traditional knowledge into sustainable use and biodiversity protection. 

While these developments are a positive step forwards, discussions on crucial issues like the mobilisation of resources and the creation of monitoring systems for the GBF have been put on hold until 2025. Negotiations around the establishment of a wider new biodiversity fund for developing countries have also been suspended. 

Julie Dimitrijevic of Fauna & Flora emphasised the growing awareness of the environmental impact of the private sector. She noted the absence of a common language between the finance and conservation sectors as a major obstacle. There’s also a need for more extensive landscape-level projects that involve different stakeholders, explaining that many conservation efforts are too narrow in scope. According to Dimitrijevic, new funding mechanisms and efforts to align the language and objectives of both sectors would be necessary to bridge the gap between private sector activities and on-the-ground conservation.

Chris Sandbrook of the University of Cambridge and Director of the CCI Masters in Conservation Leadership Programme spoke on the social consequences of the 30×30 target, which aims to protect 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030. Sandbrook stressed that conservation efforts must be carried out in a way that supports local livelihoods and fosters constructive dialogue among people with different viewpoints. This approach will help to ensure the long-term success of conservation projects and lessen negative impacts on communities. 

The importance of collaboration across sectors was echoed by Melanie Heath from TRAFFIC, who commended the adoption of the Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health, linking biodiversity with human well-being. Heath stressed the interconnectedness of animal, human, and ecosystem health, emphasising the need for integrated solutions. Fiona Dobson from RSPB also stressed the necessity of cross-convention solutions to address the interconnected issues of desertification, biodiversity loss, and climate change through the 3 Rio Conventions.

Amy McDougall from BirdLife International brought an optimistic tone to the panel as she discussed BirdLife’s “Messages of Hope” campaign, which was originally created by BirdLife Canada at COP15. The campaign collected over 3,700 messages of hope for nature’s future from 85 countries around the world. Despite the challenges faced in COP16 negotiations, BirdLife’s campaign reminded participants that collective action and global collaboration are key to achieving a sustainable future for biodiversity, uniting participants from across the globe to amplify nature’s voice. 

CCI’s Executive Director Melissa Leach closed the panel by outlining the organisation’s next steps, which include forming a Biodiversity COP Task Team. Using funding retained by UNEP-WCMC from earlier work on the Global Biodiversity Framework, this team – which will include policy leads and communications specialists from across the CCI partnership – will create an action plan identifying important themes for collaborative engagement and advancing the biodiversity targets. 

As these discussion progress, CCI and its partners are committed to using their networks and expertise to support the goals set at COP16, ensuring that momentum for biodiversity continues in the vital years ahead.