Representatives of the IUCN WCPA Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group (CCSG), including Chair Gary Tabor and Deputy Chair Jodi Hilty, participated in the recent 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia to continue advancing efforts for connectivity conservation around the world. This 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/CoP-16) was held under the theme “Peace with Nature”. CoP-16 attracted an unprecedented 23,000+ delegates attending official negotiations and side events inside the , while the public “Green Zone” drew approximately 40,000 visitors each day.

From the overflow room, a view of María Susana Muhamad González (Colombia’s Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development) speaking at the CBD/CoP-16 Opening Ceremony. (Courtesy Aaron Laur / CLLC)

Despite the high level of interest and participation, negotiations did not deliver all the results hoped for, and governments were unable to adopt all decisions before many delegates had to depart for home – reported by The Guardian as ‘Cop16 ends in disarray and indecision despite biodiversity breakthroughs’. Nonetheless, the negotiations and related events still demonstrated a strong sense of urgency , dedication, and growing actions across society and the 196 country Parties to the Convention to implement its objectives and halt and reverse biodiversity loss. In the latest development since leaving Cali, the CBD Secretariat has announced that resumed sessions of CoP-16 will be held on 25-27 February 2025 in Rome, Italy with the anticipation of adopting all pending decisions.

Notably, CoP-16 focused on how countries can meet their commitments to the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). CCSG and partners contributed leadership throughout the conference to advance the science, policy, and practice of connectivity, landscape, and seascape conservation with numerous presentations, matchmaking with countries, and collaborative efforts. Over the course of more than two weeks, CoP-16 attendees became well-acquainted with the generosity of the Colombian hosts, the interest and kindness of Cali residents, the natural beauty of the country, and the energy and endurance required to make it to and through such a large and lively event.

As the loss of biodiversity continues unabated, Parties to the Convention worked through an ambitious agenda in Cali to meet the urgency of the issue at hand. This included reviewing progress toward achieving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), demonstrating alignment in National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plans (NBSAPs), further developing the KMGBF monitoring framework – with multiple indicators for connectivity, and advancing mobilization of resources. In parallel, hundreds of side events drove home how countries can meet their commitments under the KMGBF by 2030. With one official event co-organized with the Global Partnership on Ecological Connectivity on  “Ecological Connectivity: A Key to Powering Delivery of the KMGBF” attracting 130+ participants and others focused on avoiding and mitigating the impacts of linear infrastructure, CCSG’s contributions to side events emphasized the great diversity of related initiatives, projects, and activities already underway around the world that are driving implementation. Prior to the start of the conference, a News post on the CCSG website provided insights and background documentation about ongoing efforts and opportunities for advancing ecological connectivity conservation. This News post provides insights into key developments, outcomes, and side events during the conference.

Background

The Convention on Biological Diversity is grounded in governments agreeing to take broader and more concerted actions to conserve and protect wild genetic resources, species, and ecosystems globally. Since its inception, the international agreement has recognized that the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components, and sharing of benefits from the use of genetic resources is a common concern for humanity. This therefore also means that the world community has a responsibility to preserve these resources for future generations with countries as the custodians and duty of stewardship. Furthermore, to achieve the goals of the Convention, it has long been recognized that: cross-sectoral interaction and national action is necessary both within and outside of protected areas; financial resources are required and should be available to implement necessary measures; and that commercial users of biodiversity – including genetic resources – have to participate through financial contributions.

Important developments

The submission of national biodiversity targets by 119 countries – representing 61% of Parties- and 44 National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plans sends the signal that Parties are ramping up planning at country level. This includes at least 20 countries and the European Union having submitted revised or updated plans that address connectivity, containing the terms “ecological connectivity”, “ecological corridors”, or “ecological networks” and/or addressing specific objectives for maintaining, enhancing, and restoring such as through avoidance and mitigation of the impacts of linear infrastructure.

Release of the Protected Planet Report 2024 during CoP-16 delivers a clear message that progress has to accelerate to achieve the pledge under KMGBF Target 3 to protect 30% of Earth by 2030. The Report reveals that currently 17.6% of land and inland waters and 8.4% of ocean and coastal areas globally are in documented protected and conserved areas. This means that that area on land needs to almost double and at sea more than triple to reach 30% in the next six years. Chapter 3 of the Report features a number of contributions from CCSG and partners concerning the “well-connected” element of Target 3 with insights into the key role that ecological connectivity plays in halting and reversing the decline of biodiversity. Highlights include collaborative work on the Wildlife Connect Initiative in South America and Africa, and for the first time ever it utilizes the ProNet metric indicating that only roughly a quarter of the 54.29-million-square-kilometer total area of protected and conserved areas around the world is connected.

The 30×30 Action Day, co-organized by the High Ambition Coalition for Nature & People, the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, and the CBD Secretariat, brought together high-level representatives of countries and organizations. Together, they assessed progress toward achieving Target 3, highlighted gaps and challenges, and provided recommendations on addressing qualitative aspects of management, effectiveness, impacts, governance, and connectivity, integrating public and private finance and economic sectors, and better recognizing traditional territories and rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. During the closing session, Franz Tattenbach (Minister of Environment and Energy, Costa Rica) acknowledged that conservation goes beyond protected areas and the world needs sustainable landscapes that are adapted to climate change and Brenda Mallory (Chair, US White House Council on Environmental Quality) stated that the United States knows that no country can achieve global biodiversity conservation alone.

L-R: Brenda Mallory (Chair, US White House Council on Environmental Quality) speaking to participants at the closing of 30×30 Action Day stating that the United States knows that no country can achieve global biodiversity conservation alone; Rita El Zaghloul (Director, High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People); Franz Tattenbach (Minister of Environment and Energy, Costa Rica) acknowledging that conservation goes beyond protected areas and the world needs sustainable landscapes that are adapted to climate change; and Sakhile Silitshena Koketso (Head of Science, Policy, and Governance, CBD Secretariat). (Courtesy Aaron Laur / CLLC)

In addition to the aforementioned Protected Planet Report 2024, ongoing contributions of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) were seen throughout the conference, such as release of the following key publications:

Among the many discussions about funding and financing biodiversity conservation, the new Debt for Nature Coalition also launched to scale climate and conservation outcomes through the use of sovereign debt conversions with partners estimating the potential for unlocking up to US$100 billion in finance. As pointed out by The Nature Conservancy: “As part of a debt conversion project, a government works with an NGO and other stakeholders to develop a set of ambitious climate and conservation commitments that are paid for through savings that come from refinancing externally held commercial sovereign debt.”

Official outcomes

Following the opening ceremony and concert by the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia on 21 October, negotiations began in earnest and sometimes ran late into the nights and early mornings until 1 November.Although the meeting was suspended and a number of decisions remain pending such as adoption of the budget, KMGBF monitoring framework with an improved optional indicator for migratory species, and a financial strategy for resource mobilization. Until a resumed session can be organized, progress made by Parties includes:

  • A decision acknowledging that biodiversity loss and climate change are interdependent and urging Parties to identify and maximize synergies by prioritizing conservation of ecosystems and species for the full carbon cycle and contributing to adaptation, as well as promoting positive and avoiding negative impacts of climate change reducing actions on biodiversity;
  • An update to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, outlining voluntary complementary actions for the KMGBF that include ensuring that important areas for conserving plant species and their genetic diversity are well-connected and/or ensure connectivity;
  • Establishment of a Subsidiary Body to promote, support, and review implementation of work under Article 8(j) concerning traditional knowledge, innovations, and practices of indigenous and local communities, especially in light of the KMGBF acknowledging

    A view inside the main Plenary negotiating room. (Courtesy Aaron Laur / CLLC)

    their important roles and contributions as custodians of biodiversity;

  • Recognition of the contributions of people of African descent embodying traditional lifestyles to conserving biodiversity and implementing the convention in some countries;
  • Operationalization of a multilateral mechanism, including the “Cali Fund” as the first fund with global coverage, to request private sector contributions for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources;
  • After nearly eight years of negotiation, further work on modification of the descriptions of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) and continued facilitation of describing new areas, as well as more consistent alignment with the new High Seas Treaty on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (aka BBNJ Agreement); and
  • Additional pledges of US$163 million to support and expand the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund now totaling approximately US$396 million.

A summary report of the full conference is available from the IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin. It includes an overview and brief history of the Convention, details of daily proceedings, and a brief analysis of what transpired.

Side events

Often in parallel with formal proceedings, hundreds of associated side events and meetings were held during CBD/CoP-16 to enrich interactions and discussions across a range of themes. With packed schedules, delegates bustled around the “Blue Zone” and back and forth to the “Green Zone” in the center of the city to share knowledge, build capacity, and increase collaboration for addressing the biodiversity crisis.

Because ecological connectivity is a key element of the KMGBF—explicitly included in Goal A and Targets 2, 3, and 12— CCSG and partners focused on related events, including leading organization of the official side event “Ecological Connectivity: A Key to Powering Delivery of the KMGBF”. This event was co-hosted by core members of the Global Partnership on Ecological Connectivity (GPEC) and featured presenters from five countries and five collaborative efforts exemplifying how commitments are already being turned into actions. As a contribution to advancing innovative approaches and tools, the event marked release of the new ‘Technical Guidance on Systematic Conservation Planning with Connectivity.’ A short summary with photos from the event is already published.

Additionally, at the side event “Action for Peace and Biodiversity,” CCSG’s Executive Officer Aaron Laur presented about ongoing work in Central Asia with partner Shirin Karryeva of Turkmenistan. They discussed efforts in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to advance habitat and species connectivity across ecosystems shared by the two countries and highlighted ongoing cooperation to achieve a transboundary World Heritage Site.

Another highlight was the high-level side event “Nature Knows No Borders” led by the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) celebrating major outcomes of its 14th Conference of the Parties that took place in February this year. With Brazil now confirmed to host

Close collaborators following the official “Ecological Connectivity” side event. L-R: Stephen Woodley (Vice Chair for Science and Biodiversity, IUCN – World Commission on Protected Areas); Gary Tabor (CEO, CLLC); Amy Fraenkel (Executive Secretary, Convention on Migratory Species); Dagmar Zikova (Scientific Officer, Convention on Migratory Species); Aaron Laur (Manager, International Connectivity Program, CLLC); Deborah Davidson (Chief Strategy Officer, CLLC), and Fernanda Teixeira (Director, Linear Infrastructure Ecology Program, CLLC). (Courtesy Aaron Laur / CLLC)

CMS/CoP-15, it was inspiring to hear that the country aspires to lead the world in accomplishing a well-connected ecological network.

Lastly, as a member of the Nature and Infrastructure Coalition coordinated by Kate Newman (Vice President, Sustainable Infrastructure and Public Sector Initiatives, WWF-US), the CCSG supported related events such as the following:

Conclusion

The take home message from CBD/CoP-16 is that governments, institutions, and communities around the world are ramping up activities to match commitments under the KMGBF. Although robust financial resources and technical capacities need to urgently improve, cooperation is growing and enabling whole-of-society approaches that are mainstreaming biodiversity within and across sectors at national and subnational levels. This includes the numerous examples of innovative coordination happening among conventions, ministries, agencies, and organizations taking more comprehensive approaches to halt environmental degradation, save biodiversity, and increase resilience to climate change. With landscape, seascape, and ecological connectivity conservation increasingly recognized and applied as a key cross-cutting solution, its incorporation into relevant policies, strategies, and plans is supporting alignment of programs, initiatives, projects, and activities around the world. Looking toward CBD/CoP-17 now scheduled for the last quarter of 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia, CCSG will continue its leadership to inspire and take actions across terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems.