Florencia (Caquetá), September 13, 2024 – More than 150 mayors from all over the country committed to the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems with the signing of a pact that consolidated the joint roadmap that will be officially presented at COP 16, the world's most important summit on biodiversity to be held in Cali from October 21 to November 1.
One of the commitments made by the leaders is to work jointly with the National Government in the territorialization and implementation of the goals of the Biodiversity Action Plan, with a differential and comprehensive approach.
This strategic space allowed the construction of a roadmap towards COP16 from local governments.
It also promotes the conservation of strategic environmental areas, the ecological restoration of degraded ecosystems, and encourages the involvement of rural communities, ethnic groups, Afro-descendants and indigenous peoples in the construction of knowledge about biodiversity protection.
The agreement also includes the creation, expansion and maintenance of green spaces in urban areas, as well as the development of productive transformation initiatives, green businesses and bioeconomy, among others.
Minister Susana Muhamad and mayors from all over the country signed a biodiversity protection agreement ahead of COP16.
“It is a great moment for us to connect with the world from our territories and begin to see the productive and sustainable vocations that we can work on from each territory, solutions that simultaneously help us to be stronger in the face of climate change,” said the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad.
The mayors also pledged to encourage the participation of civil society, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, academia and all those who support local actions on issues of protection and conservation of diversity in the processes of training and knowledge management on this important topic.
The summit brought together representatives of national and local governments, academia, Congress, international cooperation and research groups.
“If COP16 is the meeting of the world's biodiversity and is perhaps the most important event that Colombia has held in its existence, that is what we are facing, because it is about how humanity takes care of the planet's biodiversity, that is, life,”said the President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Florencia, Marlon Monsalve Ascanio, recalled that Florencia submitted a proposal to become a Special Environmental Conservation District for Tourism, Nature and Peace and thanked for this opportunity for their territories to be made visible. “As mayors of the country, thank you for taking us into account in the COP16 in Cali, this will be a historic event that represents a possibility for our governments and to ensure our most important assets: children and adolescents, a happy and promising future,” he said.
Mayors' agreement on the road to COP16
The agreement will be presented at the COP16 in Cali, an event that will bring together delegates from different parts of the world to establish agendas, commitments and frameworks for action to conserve biological diversity and ensure its sustainable use, as well as to guarantee the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources.