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The Convention on Biological Diversity, COP16, and the grand plan for life on Earth

View of Colombian Amazon rainforest canopy and blue sky

Date: August 15, 2024

This fall marks a pivotal moment for the future of nature conservation. In late October, world governments will meet in Colombia to continue work on the most ambitious plan ever to save the vast array of diversity of life on planet Earth.

Conservationists worldwide have this meeting circled on their calendars as “CBD COP16”. But what do these acronyms stand for? And why is this so important?

Here’s our best attempt to sum it all up, from WWF’s perspective.

What the US can do

While the US is not party to Convention on Biological Diversity, the country’s efforts on conservation - both at home and abroad - have enormous influence over global conservation outcomes. Indeed, despite its formal absence, the US can still take actions and support initiatives that align with and contribute to global goals and targets agreed upon at the Convention.

What is the Convention on Biological Diversity? And what’s a COP?

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a global treaty to conserve the diversity of life on Earth, including how to use biodiversity sustainably and who reaps the benefits. Since it was agreed in 1992, all but one of the United Nations member states have officially joined the Convention – the US being the lone holdout*.

Every two years, member countries gather for high-level “Conference of Parties” meetings – abbreviated to “COPs” - where they set priorities, review progress, and commit to future plans around conservation. Each country is expected to do its part to turn agreed goals and targets into reality.

What role does WWF play in this?

In short – we bring knowledge, influence, and lots of experience.

The Convention on Biological Diversity may be a treaty among world governments, but its success hinges on the contributions of countless others.

WWF brings to the Convention a distinctive breadth of conservation expertise from decades of presence, work, and deep local partnerships across the globe.

Ahead of a COP, we work with partners to define strong positions on the issues to be negotiated. During COP, we push for ambitious commitments on agreed targets as well as meaningful actions toward these, supporting countries on both. After each COP, we work with governments to strengthen and implement their conservation plans. We then draw on that work toward the next cycle.

What happened at the last Convention on Biological Diversity COP?

In Montreal Canada, December 2022, a bold plan for saving nature was born.

Countries agreed on a new “Global Biodiversity Framework” with the express goal of halting and reversing global biodiversity loss. The plan includes 23 global targets that the world must achieve by 2030 for a chance at success.

Perhaps the best known of these is Target 3---conserve 30% of land, water, and seas (often referred to as “30x30”).

But equally important are the Framework’s other targets, which range from halting species extinctions, to reducing pollution, to mobilizing hundreds of billions of dollars of funding, to ensuring equitable participation and access to justice for Indigenous peoples and local communities.

It is a promising start, but agreement is nothing without action.

What’s the importance of COP16?

This October in Cali, Colombia, world governments are set to reconvene nearly two years after their landmark agreement in Montreal.

Cali marks the first opportunity to collectively measure progress on the Global Biodiversity Framework since its adoption, including the strategies and plans each country has to contribute.

Unfortunately, the reality is that---by and large---countries appear far off track to meet the targets they set two years ago. Nature and people worldwide stand to suffer consequently.

Getting on track can be COP16’s legacy, and Cali presents a moment to make real gains on various critical fronts.

Below we highlight a few areas where WWF sees particular opportunity, and why we believe Colombia hosting is reason for added optimism.

How will WWF approach COP16 specifically?

WWF heads to Cali intent on supporting progress in multiple areas. Here are three that stand out as particularly important:

Making sure each country has an ambitious and comprehensive strategy for doing its part toward the 2030 targets

Closing the large gap between the amount of money currently pledged to biodiversity conservation, and the amount needed to truly achieve it

Keeping local leadership and inclusive participation at the helm of efforts worldwide, as conservation cannot succeed otherwise

All of these are achievable, but they all require partnership. This is conservation, after all, and durable conservation requires a rich mix of contributions from a kaleidoscope of people, places, and sectors.

As such, underlying all WWF’s efforts around COP16 is a drive to keep strengthening the connections and partnerships that will enable lasting success.

What is the significance of Colombia hosting this meeting?

There are a few things worth noting here.

For one, there is arguably no backdrop more fitting for a meeting on biodiversity. If we judged natural wealth the same way we do athletics, Colombia would win gold for variety of birds; silver for plants, butterflies, amphibians, and freshwater fish; and bronze for reptiles (for variety of mammals, Colombia narrowly misses the podium – an impressive showing nonetheless).

Further, Colombia sets a strong example for the type of action needed to meet the 2030 targets. Its recent Heritage Colombia initiative alone stands to conserve millions of acres of lands and waters country-wide – a model of ambition as countries continue defining their own roles in helping turn the tide on global biodiversity loss.

This type of leadership by the host country will hopefully inspire others to make the most out of their time in Cali and set the world on course to achieve what was agreed in Montreal.

WWF will do its best to help make that happen.

Most importantly, what’s at stake?

The interwoven crises of nature loss and climate change threaten us all. The challenge is greater than it’s ever been before, yet we are still seeing too little global action. We need to move faster and at a greater scale when it comes to saving enough nature on the planet to sustain life as we know it.

To learn more, visit WWF's Living Planet Report