Progress in Cali

 By Malini Shankar,

Digital Discourse Foundation

The Convention on Biological Diversity’s COP 16 conclave in Cali Colombia is still the amphitheatre for the possible. The nitty gritties are being worked out nervously by technocrats and bureaucrats before the political representatives come to sign on behalf of the sovereign governments in the coming week.

Following the concept of supply and demand, an  interactive match-making event on 22^nd October brought together those needing support and those able to provide it. It was an exercise to prompt implementation of the Water Convention and thus strengthen transboundary water cooperation worldwide.

With benefit sharing and market access being key points of contention, pharmaceutical companies lead the lobby to waive off 1% tax on profits. The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations, argues that the negotiations over a potential tax on companies would ‘increase costs across the board’. Meanwhile one of its members, AstraZeneca, spent $ 473 million on advertising in 2019 alone, says a Press release.

Where the money sits is important. Currently the biodiversity fund sits within the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which exists to help deliver goals under the UN climate body (UNFCCC). Creating a new fund can take years, and with only five years and two months left to go until the CBD targets need to be delivered, do we have that time? Countries' positions on this are becoming strangely fixated. 

On the 22^nd of October the Democratic Republic of Congo speaking on behalf of Africa was clear - the GEF will not do. Others like Canada refuse to discuss a new fund until a plan for generating more money is in place, whilst the EU is growing louder in its position that a voluntary payment is the only way forward. How tense will things get? 

Among the key issues being discussed at COP 16 are:

A reminder that this meeting is all about delivering solid plans and money for reaching the goals. 

1 - Saving nature needs $200billion by 2030 - developed countries have 3 months to deliver $20bn of this by 2025 

2 - All 196 governments need to deliver better plans to save nature: so far 35 have done it and developing countries are blaming lack of finance. 

3 - Big business makes billions from using Nature’s genetic data for free. Developing countries want a 1% levy to put a stop to this. 

4 - A new permanent body for Indigenous Peoples and local communities to keep rights central, and ensure 20% of money goes to the ground is on the cards.

Peace with nature  

In-between war with Ukraine and kicking off the BRICS meeting in Kazan, Russia also managed to submit 25 nature specific national targets. Russia’s biodiversity is apparently impressive. It has the largest forest area in the world covering 50% of the country, and the largest wetland system. But like most things, its environmental progress data is a state secret. Russia is currently facing legal action to compensate for the environmental implications of the war on Ukraine. 3 million hectares of Ukraine’s Protected Areas have been affected by military activity. 

·         While Russia stakes claim to 50% of its land as under forest cover Russia is guilty of destroying 3 million hectares of Ukraine’s forest cover.

·         Canada owes the Convention on Biological Diversity a cool $650 Million Canadian Dollars.

·         The number of people living in extreme poverty is expected to further decline from 713 million in 2022 to about 692 million in 2024 according to a World Bank Report.

·         Some good news on wildlife. There is now an estimated population of 6800 American Bison with reliable census having started in 1970 as per WWF Living Planet Report.

·         COP 16 UNCBD is in need of $200bn to be raised in the next 60 days to achieve the ambitious targets set for 2030.

· October 29th brings us the official ‘30x30’ Action Day at COP16. The day will bring together heads of state and heads of government, ministers, and high-level representatives from Indigenous peoples and local communities, as well as philanthropists, the private sector, and other stakeholders. Over the course of the day, speakers and participants will deep dive into the implementation of 30x30, take stock of progress, and also have the opportunity to share their experiences on the gaps, challenges, and main lessons that need to be learned in order to ensure we reach this global target by 2030. In addition to this, the Protected Planet Report 2024 will be formally launched by UNEP-WCMC during the event.

·         The day will consist of high-level opening and closing segments with three specialist high-level roundtables. Roundtable One will focus on the increase of the coverage and progress on 30x30 (figures, challenges, possible solutions) and the qualitative component of 30x30 (management, effectiveness, impacts). Roundtable Two will focus on nature and finance for conservation. Roundtable Three will focus on the recognition of traditional territories and respect for the rights of IP&LCs (Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities).

 

The day aims to:

●        Give the highest-level political prominence to the cornerstone 30x30 target to sustain momentum towards its success.

●        Gather all key 30x30 stakeholders under a common mission to strengthen collaboration and avoid duplication of work.

●        Showcase how Target 3 contributes to reaching other goals and targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

●        Showcase countries’ ambitious actions towards 30x30 from all regions.

●        Present a global assessment/stocktake of progress on 30x30, including gaps and challenges to feed in a collective roadmap to COP17 (2026).

●        Showcase Indigenous People and Local Communities’ contributions towards 30x30 and advancements in the rights-based approach to conservation and protection.

●        Highlight best practices, funding, platforms, and mechanisms for the implementation of the 30x30 by governments, IP and LCs, businesses, foundations, and other public/private initiatives.

●        Underscore the urgency with which all must act to achieve target 3.

Pharma companies and the Industry in general is opposed to paying a 1% tax on profits that is to be earmarked for Access to and Benefit Sharing (ABS) of Bio resources on which Indigenous People are earmarked to get the highest dividend. India and Russia seem opposed to setting up a legal body for Indigenous Peoples Rights.

India lacks a tribals’ tribunal. India’s Anthropological Survey of India is not yet a stake holder / facilitator for ABS.  The gamut of legislation required for achieving the Targets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and of Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Targets is so onerous that they barely border feasibility.

The urgency of the targets’ deadline seems completely lost on the political stewardship. A democratic governance model, albiet mandatory maybe responsible for the delay in legislation… Translating activism into legally binding governance is the challenge that CBD faces.