The UN meeting on biodiversity, COP16, was not the success that many participants may have hoped for and when the meeting ended yesterday, decisions had still not been taken on several of the issues on the table.
One agreement that was reached was to establish a permanent body tasked with representing the interests of the world’s Indigenous populations, which will be consulted before the UN makes decisions on nature conservation matters.
The new advisory body is being hailed as a breakthrough in recognizing the role that indigenous peoples play in conserving natural areas around the world – including some of the most biodiverse areas on the planet, such as the Amazon.
The UN body, which will also include representatives from various indigenous peoples, is also said to help incorporate more traditional knowledge into conservation efforts.
Focus on Africans
The assembly also adopted a proposal recognizing the role claimed to be played by people of specifically African descent in caring for nature, which, according to Colombia, the host country of COP16, would give these groups easier access to resources to fund their biodiversity projects and participate in global environmental discussions.
– Our territories, which cover much of the natural wealth of the planet, have also been home to people of African descent and Indigenous peoples whose sustainable practices are needed to face the environmental challenges that we all share today, said Colombia’s Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo, saying the position was particularly important for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Representatives of some 200 countries gathered in Cali, Colombia, for COP16 – and in 2026, the next major meeting will be hosted by Armenia.
