Santiago de Cali, 7 March 2024. Pedalling for life, in the Land of Beauty, took over the CAM square in Cali with the official launch of the COP16 image in Colombia. With the participation of different representatives of the communities of the region and the country, Cali was dressed in the colours of the COP16 symbol, the Conference of the Parties on Biodiversity.
‘The ecosystems of our country teach us that, in the midst of adversity and diversity, life is sustained. It is time to think together about alternatives that allow us to cohabit the planet and continue nesting all forms of life in our territories" said Francia Márquez, Vice President of the Republic and Minister of Equality.
In an event attended by more than 500 people at the CAM square in Cali, the image of the COP16 on Biodiversity to be held this year in Colombia was officially launched.
The Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad, who is touring the city to monitor progress in the planning and logistics of the event, highlighted the added value of holding this COP16 in our country: ‘We have christened it ‘Peace with Nature’, not as a random decision but because we sincerely believe that in the search for peace, where we have suffered so much, where today it has not yet been consolidated in the most excluded areas of the country, in the places with the greatest environmental wealth, which is being destroyed before our eyes, is where we must make peace with nature’.
In an environmentally friendly act, energy-generating bicycles were used as a symbol that COP16 is a purpose that requires the teamwork of the whole country.
For his part, the Mayor of Santiago de Cali, Alejandro Eder, highlighted the work that Cali has been carrying out since the city was named as the official host ‘This is the COP of reconciliation, today Cali and all of Colombia are joining forces to make it a reality and to make the world fall in love with the Pacific. For this reason, we are working to have the parks beautiful, the city clean, the roads ready, to strengthen the Tourist Route in different communities and to take care of our natural resources and great wealth such as Los Farallones’.
In turn, the Governor of Valle del Cauca, Dilian Francisca Toro, emphasised: ‘we already know what COP16 means from an environmental point of view. But for ordinary people it will also represent an opportunity to boost their economy, by generating more business opportunities that will benefit from the largest to the smallest trader, taxi drivers, restaurants, tourism, logistics, that is, welfare and progress for all’.
COP16 preparations move forward
After two weeks of work in the city of Cali together with the United Nations, the subcommittees in charge of COP16 planning presented to the second Steering Committee the progress related to the planning and execution of strategies related to logistics, citizen participation, security, communications, financing and science and academia.
The organization of the event began firmly in the city, with the second COP16 Steering Committee. Under the leadership of Vice President Francia Márquez and Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development Susana Muhamad, logistical and security details were reviewed, as well as the adequacy of the events centre for the Summit.
About COP16 on Biodiversity
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international treaty adopted at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and entered into force in 1993, with the aim of conserving biological diversity, ensuring its sustainable use and ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, or the Biodiversity COP, is held every two years and brings together representatives of 196 Parties to the Convention, as well as intergovernmental organisations, non-governmental organisations, civil society, indigenous peoples and local communities and other relevant stakeholders.
The COP is an international space to establish agendas, commitments and frameworks for action in relation to the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and to address challenges such as the climate crisis, loss of natural habitats, overexploitation of natural resources, among others. COP16 will take place in Cali, Colombia, between 21 October and 1 November 2024.