The UN Biodiversity Conference opened on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, in a renewed attempt to reach an agreement, four months after delegates failed to strike a deal due to disagreements over financing issues.
In November 2024, the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, ended without an agreement after disputes about funding and the implementation of previous resolutions.
This time, the delegates have three days to agree on the issues.
The Colombia talks focused on the technical implementation of the global biodiversity conservation agreement as well as on financing issues.
The participating states agreed in 2022 on 23 goals to be achieved by 2030.
Among these was an agreement to protect at least 30 per cent of the world’s land and marine areas.
Only 17.6 per cent of the world’s land areas and 8.4 per cent of its waters are protected, according to the UN Environment Programme.
In addition, industrialised countries are to provide around 20 billion dollars annually by 2025 for the protection of biodiversity.
The main point of contention in Cali was how to distribute financial support for the countries of the Global South.
A further problem at the Colombia meeting was that by the end of the two-week talks, so many negotiators had left that not enough people were present to make decisions.
A fact slammed as a “disgrace’’ by environmentalists.
The resumed session is being held at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation headquarters in Rome.