Reporting and opinion by Mathew Carr
Nov. 3, 2024 — The deal reached at UN biodiversity summit means businesses “have the option of voluntarily contributing to a new Digital Sequence Information (DSI) fund” – known as the Cali Fund – if they use this genetic information from nature.
Surely a small fee should be mandatory if the data is used in certain ways. Sigh. Yet, if free-of-charge helps helps save nature … it’s a good thing.
The carbon markets have shown “voluntary” does not really work that well. Yet voluntary is at least a start.
Envoys failed to agree crucial funding deals.
The people of the world have not consented to destruction of nature by reckless governments and large/global corporations and other businesses. Accountability is coming.
The fund may help create carbon-negative products ie those that absorb GHG from the atmosphere as they are produced or used …or ones that prevent heat-trapping gas getting into the atmosphere in the first place.
For example, land owners can prioritize planting trees that absorb and store more CO2 …potentially for carbon/nature credits. See UK govt press release below.
The outcome of the conference was deemed weak overall by environment group WWF (see below).
Press release:
Biodiversity COP 16: Important Agreement Reached Towards Goal of “Making Peace with Nature”
SAT // 2.11.2024
CALI, Colombia — The 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16) was suspended in the morning of Nov. 2 but not before countries agreed on an expanded role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in saving biodiversity and a groundbreaking agreement on the operationalization of a new global mechanism to share benefits from digital genetic information.
The strong results, built on a spirit of compromise, and dialogue, demonstrate that multilateralism can still achieve results in a fractious time. After roughly 12 hours of meeting in the Plenary session, at roughly 9 am COP 16 lost quorum and was suspended before approval of a few last items.
It will resume at a later date and venue to complete the agenda.
The results at COP 16 are important strides towards achievement of the 23 targets for 2030 laid out in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), adopted at the previous meeting of the Convention’s 196 Parties in Montreal in 2022.
With billions of people depending on nature’s contributions, threats to biodiversity intensifying, and financial resources in short supply, the stakes at COP 16 were high.
Comments
“Over the last weeks, we have seen the largest, whole-of-society mobilization for biodiversity unfold in Cali, triggering interest from around the globe. We have seen Indigenous Peoples and local communities, civil society, businesses and financial institutions, sub-national governments, cities and local authorities, women and youth present remarkable initiatives and action.
And through it all, this COP delivered a seminal message: the time has come to make peace with nature.
“From Cali, this UN Biodiversity Conference sent a powerful call to action. It has never been clearer that the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement in a synergistic fashion will make peace with nature within reach.”
Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity
“We arrived in Cali with a heavy agenda of work, and thanks to the determination of countries and the energy from this ‘People’s COP’, we’ve made good progress. COP16 has delivered important commitments on the interconnections on nature and climate, biodiversity and health and Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs). The new agreement on Article 8J is a critical step forward and commits us to embed the knowledge and role of Indigenous Peoples and local custodians across our work to deliver the Global Biodiversity Framework. Another big win is the new mechanism and fund for fair and equitable benefit-sharing from Digital Sequencing Information of genetic resources which will ensure that those who profit from biodiversity give back to nature, countries and communities.
Of course, we would have liked to achieve more on resource mobilization and advances on the monitoring framework, but we will not slow down the pace of work.
2030 is rapidly approaching and action cannot wait.”
Inger Andersen, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme
Useful Resources:
Photos, video (free for media use)
To view news conferences / negotiations / Plenary sessions: UNWebTV
Among the notable achievements after 12-days of negotiations …see link above:
“Cali Fund” is Launched: Sharing the Benefits from Digital Genetic Information
Strengthening the role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Biodiversity Efforts
Funding Biodiversity: A Strategy for Resource Mobilization Implementing and Monitoring the KMGBF
Synthetic Biology
Invasive Alien Species
Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs)
Sustainable Wildlife Management and Plant Conservation
Biodiversity and HealthRisk Assessment
WWF:
Some successes, but COP16 in Cali ends in disappointment, with crucial finance agreements delayed
Posted on November, 02 2024
WWF welcomes progress at COP16, but cautions that postponing challenging decisions may hinder full Global Biodiversity Framework implementation
CALI, Colombia (2 November 2024) – Early this morning, 196 countries at the COP16 UN biodiversity conference in Colombia agreed to establish a new global fund dedicated to sharing the benefits derived from using digital sequence information (DSI) from genetic resources.
However, after a marathon 24 hours final negotiations sprint, discussions around the establishment of a new wider biodiversity fund, as well as other key decisions, have been postponed and the meeting suspended, because there were no longer enough negotiators in the room to take decisions. This outcome risks undermining confidence in and the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
The decision on the ‘Cali Fund’ states that companies using digital sequence information (DSI) from genetic biodiversity resources in their products should pay a portion of their profits or revenues into the fund. While the disbursement details are still being finalized, it has been agreed that 50% of the fund will be allocated to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, either directly or through governments. This will enable these communities, including women and youth to finally share in the profits.
Kirsten Schuijt, Director General, WWF International, said: “The new ‘Cali Fund,’ although imperfect and with many details still to be ironed out, is an important step forward. It ensures that companies profiting from nature contribute fairly to biodiversity conservation and directs critical funding to the people and places that need it most.”
Commenting on the suspension of the meeting, Schuijt added: “Despite Colombia’s valiant efforts and the tireless work of many negotiators to find consensus and build bridges between countries, this outcome jeopardizes the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Nobody should be okay with this – because it will impact us all. Delivering the mission to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 was never going to be easy, but we’re now veering dangerously off track.”
Negotiations around the establishment of a wider new biodiversity fund for developing countries have been suspended.
Negotiations about monitoring progress progressed throughout the past two weeks, focussing on filling gaps in the monitoring framework and on the modalities for a global review process (“stocktake”) in 2026 and 2030, which would help to hold countries accountable for implementing the KMGBF. Regrettably, these negotiations could not be concluded before the COP was suspended.
Developed countries are lagging behind on their commitments to provide US$20 billion annually in international biodiversity financing by 2025. Pledges to the interim funding mechanism, the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), in Cali were also meager, with the fund currently totaling US$407 million. Actions around identifying and repurposing subsidies harmful to nature have made little headway since the KMGBF was adopted.
“Following the negotiations on biodiversity finance here in Cali was as enjoyable as root canal surgery,” says Bernadette Fischler Hooper, Head of International Advocacy, WWF-UK. “The discord between donor and developing countries shortly before the meeting suspension is sadly not surprising, but certainly disappointing. Countries have been divided for years and have not managed to find a solution that works for all. However, waiting longer to take the badly needed decision on the fund dedicated to the CBD threatens the delivery of 2030 nature goals.”
At the end of COP16, 44 revised National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) were submitted and 119 Parties have submitted revised National Targets, representing around 63% of countries, a welcome uptick from before the COP when less than half of countries had published plans or targets.
“One of Colombia’s main goals was to bring together diverse community voices from around the world, to ensure their voices were heard at COP16,” says Dr. Lin Li, Senior Director for Global Policy and Advocacy at WWF International. “After many years of attending these summits, for the first time, this truly has been a ‘People’s COP’ – with increased participation of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, Afro-descendants, women, and youth, all raising their concerns for Mother Earth. Their voices must be heard by the decision makers in the negotiation rooms, in government offices, and in the boardrooms of businesses depleting nature, and their requests incorporated into decisions being made,” Li continued.
Sandra Valenzuela, CEO of WWF Colombia added: “The adoption of the Article 8(j) work program and the Subsidiary Body is a momentous decision to guarantee the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the work undertaken under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The recognition of the Afro-descendant people embodying traditional lifestyles in conserving biodiversity is essential for the implementation of the Convention. It is a step forward to achieve peace for nature”.
There was notable progress in some areas.
This included
–the mainstreaming of biodiversity across key sectors, with a new government-led Mainstreaming Champions Group launched with the support of 18 Parties (and growing).
–The adoption of an action plan on biodiversity and health, and of the procedures for describing Ecologically Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in the oceans were also key developments, the latter representing a significant step toward achieving the target of conserving 30% of ocean areas by 2030.
–COP16 also saw unprecedented participation from the public, including in the UN CBD’s first Green Zone in Cali.
–Progress was also made in integrating nature and climate efforts. With COP29 just weeks away in Baku, WWF welcomes the commitment by Parties to strengthen alignment of NBSAPs and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and to explore stronger collaboration between the climate and biodiversity conventions, as well as better tracking of funding sources to avoid double counting of nature and climate finance.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Contact: news@wwfint.org
UK government press release from last night:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-deal-for-biodiversity-from-using-natures-genetic-information
New deal for biodiversity from using nature’s genetic information
Breakthrough deal struck on sharing the benefits from Digital Sequence Information (DSI) at CBD COP16 in Colombia
From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Mary Creagh CBE MP Published on 2 November 2024
Negotiations on Digital Sequence Information (DSI) have concluded today (2 November) at CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia.
DSI is genetic information that has been sequenced from the natural world, with the DNA code then made available online for use in research. This is the type of data used by companies across the world for the creation of new medicines, vaccines and other products. By continuing to ensure it is freely available digitally, it will enable scientists to share information and develop the products that we rely on, whilst supporting the conservation of nature.
This research can be applied to medicine, agriculture, conservation and public health, with benefits such as the development of vaccines or adapting plants to be more resilient to climate change.
The deal reached means businesses have the option of voluntarily contributing to a new fund – known as the Cali Fund – if they use this genetic information from nature.
This Fund will then support further use of DSI and the conservation and sustainable use of nature, with a significant proportion flowing to Indigenous People and local communities.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:
We have seen the many benefits of DSI, including identifying infectious diseases, predicting which plants will survive in a warming climate, or helping protect threatened species.
More than half of the global economy is estimated to be dependent in some way on the ecosystem services that nature provides, so this latest deal is critical in supporting future growth and development.
I would like to thank the UK negotiating team and all those involved who helped conclude these important negotiations.
Eva Zabey, Chief Executive at Business for Nature, said:
Nature underpins every aspect of our economy. The benefits of natural resources – including through digital sequencing – must be valued and shared fairly, which is why this deal is so important.
Ms Bupe Mwambingu, Biodiversity Partnerships Manager at Basecamp Research, a UK-based company which is working to build the first fully traceable DSI database, said:
We are thrilled to welcome the COP16 decision on Digital Sequence Information (DSI). We believe that by working together to address the challenges around DSI, we have a unique opportunity to accelerate the development of life-saving medicines, sustainable food supplies, and carbon-negative industries, while also driving the protection of our planet’s precious biodiversity.
Over 196 governments – plus businesses, researchers, Indigenous Peoples and local communities – have been involved in reaching this deal
The UK government will now work with industry on developing a voluntary mechanism.
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