From 20 October to 1 November, the UN Biodiversity Conference took place in Cali (Colombia) under the motto ‘Paz con la naturaleza’ (Peace with nature). Léonard and colleagues from iDiv attended the COP16 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as observers. The practical implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework of 2022, which aims to protect 30% of the world’s land and marine areas by 2030, was the main focus of COP16. National-level monitoring and financing were particularly important items on the agenda. Academia and research play a decisive role in implementing the ambitious goals, as Colombia’s Environment Minister Susana Muhamad emphasises.
During the conference, Léonard participated in the negotiations and various side events, and actively contributed to the opening and closing statements of the Academia & Research Caucus. Colleagues from iDiv organised side events on topics such as ‘FAIR Biodiversity Monitoring’ and ‘Protection of Latin American Dry Forests’. A summary of important agreements is available here.
