The World Nature Conference in Cali, Colombia, concluded without agreement on financing issues, leaving sustainability goals unmet. Over 200 countries participated in discussions at the 16th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 16), but the WWF described the outcome as a “disgrace.” Notably, a funding strategy for conservation was not established, and tensions between developed nations and the Global South were exacerbated. However, progress was made in marine protection and involving indigenous communities in conservation efforts.
The World Nature Conference concluded in Cali, Colombia, without reaching consensus on all funding issues. Although representatives from approximately 200 countries participated in the 16th UN Conference on Biological Diversity (COP 16) for two weeks, efforts to finalize a declaration remained unsuccessful. According to WWF, the outcome is seen as a failure.
After a twelve-hour closing plenary session, the conference had to end abruptly despite unresolved agenda items, as there were not enough delegates present to make decisions. Florian Titze, an international politics expert at WWF Germany, stated, “The goal of halting and even reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 remains a distant prospect after this conference.”
Jochen Flasbarth, Secretary of State at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), expressed disappointment that the conference ended without a strategy for securing additional funds for conservation.
At the start of the conference, ambitious goals were set. Colombian Environment Minister Susana Muhamad declared, “This is the COP of implementation.” Two years prior, countries committed to a framework agreement known as the Global Nature Pact, aiming to achieve several targets by 2030. This includes safeguarding at least 30% of the world’s land and maritime areas and ensuring that developed nations provide around $20 billion annually for biodiversity protection by 2025.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized two weeks ago in a video message to delegates, “Your task at this COP is to translate words into action,” insisting that countries must present clear plans aligning national measures with the framework agreement’s objectives.
The urgency for action is underscored by the “Living Planet Report 2024” from WWF and the Zoological Society of London, which reveals that over the past 50 years, the populations of 35,000 examined wildlife species—including mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles—have declined by an average of 73%. Latin America and the Caribbean were the hardest hit (95% decline), followed by Africa (76%) and the Asia-Pacific region (60%).
Widening Divides Between Developed Nations and the Global South
The conference revealed widening divides between developed countries and the Global South, as the EU’s blockage of the Biodiversity Fund exacerbated tensions, according to Jannes Stoppel, a policy expert at Greenpeace Germany. “What began as a positive conference has ended on a bitter note of increasing mistrust.”
The lack of agreement on the global biodiversity fund has significantly impacted the already strained trust between developed nations and those in the Global South, according to WWF.
Since no financing strategy was adopted, the absence of consensus, combined with a lack of decision-making capacity in the nearly empty room, ultimately led to the exclusion of a mechanism intended to measure countries’ implementation outcomes from the final resolution.
Increased Protection for Marine Areas
Among the positive developments reported by WWF in Cali was a breakthrough in protecting biodiversity-rich marine areas and enhancing the involvement of indigenous peoples, local communities, and their knowledge.
The delegates agreed to establish a permanent subcommittee to ensure that indigenous voices are included in future discussions and decisions regarding conservation.