Remarks for the High-Level Segment of COP16 on Biodiversity

Cali, 29 October 2024

Presidente Petro,

Gracias por acoger esta importante sesión, aquí en Cali – un microcosmos de la rica biodiversidad de nuestro planeta.

Excelencias, queridos amigos,

La naturaleza es vida.

Y, sin embargo, estamos librando una guerra contra ella.

Una guerra donde no puede haber vencedores.

Cada año, vemos las temperaturas subir más y más.

Cada día, perdemos más especies.

Cada minuto, vertemos un camión de basura de desechos plásticos en nuestros océanos, ríos y lagos.

No se equivoquen.

Así es como se ve una crisis existencial.

Ningún país, rico o pobre, es inmune a la devastación provocada por el cambio climático, la pérdida de biodiversidad, la degradación de la tierra y la contaminación.

Estas crisis ambientales están entrelazadas. No conocen fronteras.

Y están devastando ecosistemas y medios de vida, amenazando la salud humana y socavando el desarrollo sostenible.

Los motores de esta destrucción están arraigados en modelos económicos obsoletos, que alimentan patrones insostenibles de producción y consumo.

Y se ven multiplicados por las desigualdades – en riqueza y poder.

Cada día que pasa, nos acercamos más a puntos de inflexión que podrían alimentar más hambre, desplazamientos y conflictos armados.

Ya hemos alterado el 75% de la superficie terrestre y el 66% de los océanos.

Queridos amigos,

La biodiversidad es aliada de la humanidad.

Debemos pasar de saquearla a preservarla.

Como he dicho una y otra vez, hacer las paces con la naturaleza es la tarea definitoria del siglo XXI.

Ese es el espíritu de la Declaración de hoy de la Coalición Mundial por la Paz con la Naturaleza:

Un llamado a la acción para mejorar los esfuerzos nacionales e internacionales hacia una relación equilibrada y armoniosa con la naturaleza – protegiendo la naturaleza y conservando, restaurando, utilizando y compartiendo de manera sostenible nuestra biodiversidad global.

Un llamado a reconocer el conocimiento vital, las innovaciones y las prácticas de los Pueblos indígenas y afrodescendientes, los agricultores y las comunidades locales.

Un llamado por la vida.

Excellencies,

Last month, UN Member States adopted the Pact for the Future.

The Pact recognizes the need to accelerate efforts to restore, protect, conserve and sustainably use the environment.

It emphasizes the importance of halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030, and other terrestrial and marine ecosystems that act as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases.

This means conserving biodiversity, while ensuring social and environmental safeguards – in line with the Paris Climate Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

When the Framework was adopted two years ago in Montreal, the world made bold commitments to living in harmony with nature by mid-century.

Its goals and targets require robust monitoring, reporting, and review arrangements to track progress, as well as a resource mobilisation package to increase finance for biodiversity from all sources – mobilizing at least USD 200 billion per year by 2030.

But we must now turn these promises into action in four vital ways.

First – at the national level, all countries must finally present clear, ambitious and detailed plans to align with the Framework’s targets.

These national plans should be developed in coordination with Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans – with positive outcomes in the Sustainable Development Goals.

We must shift to nature-positive business models and production: renewable energies and sustainable supply chains… zero-waste policies and circular economies… regenerative agriculture and sustainable farming practices…

These must become the default for governments and businesses alike.

Second – we must agree on a strengthened monitoring and transparency framework.

This is not only vital for accountability but also about enabling course corrections and driving ambition.

Third – finance promises must be kept and support to developing countries accelerated.

We cannot afford to leave Cali without new pledges to adequately capitalize the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, and without commitments to mobilize other sources of public and private finance to deliver the Framework – in full.

And we must bring the private sector on board.

Those profiting from nature cannot treat it like a free, infinite resource.

They must step up and contribute to its protection and restoration.

By operationalizing the mechanism on the sharing of benefits from the use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources, we will give them one clear avenue to do so, bringing more equity and inclusivity.

Finally – in the spirit of this “COP de la gente”, we must engage all parts of society, in particular Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities.

Too often, they have been on the sidelines of global environmental policy.

Too often, environmental defenders have been threatened and killed.

Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities are guardians of our nature.

Their traditional knowledge is a living library of biodiversity conservation.

They must be protected.

And they must be part of every biodiversity conversation.

The establishment of a permanent subsidiary body within the Convention on Biological Diversity would mark a significant step forward, ensuring Indigenous voices are heard at every stage of the process.

Peace with nature means peace for those who protect it.

We must defend the people who defend nature.

Excellencies,

Across all these areas, we know progress is possible.

Many countries around the world are stepping up to lead the way.

Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and Malaysia are leading by example by ramping up efforts to curb deforestation.

The Congo Basin is intensifying efforts to increase protected area coverage.

The European Union’s Nature Restoration Law is a step toward halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

Mobilizing all countries – each with different levels of wealth and capacities – is challenging.

But swift global cooperation can provide the defense we so desperately need – against wildfires, floods, extreme weather, and pandemics.

Last year’s Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction demonstrated our determination for every hectare of the planet.

We need the same determination later in the year as countries come together to conclude negotiations on a landmark treaty to tackle plastic pollution.

Let us be inspired and lifted by these examples.

Excellences, Chers amis,

Notre mission à Cali est claire : accélérer le progrès pour la biodiversité ; mobiliser les ressources nécessaires ; et renforcer le rôle des peuples autochtones, des personnes d'ascendance africaine et des communautés locales.

Nous pouvons – et nous devons – sauvegarder les écosystèmes qui nous font vivre et maintenir les objectifs climatiques à notre portée.

Tout autre chemin est impensable.

Il en va de la survie de la planète – et de la nôtre.

Choisissons avec sagesse.

Choisissons la vie.

Faisons la paix avec la nature.

Je vous remercie.