This briefing by former Environment Minister of Colombia Carlos Correa, “Paving the Way to Baku and Cali,” highlights the critical importance of both upcoming United Nations’ biodiversity and climate negotiations in 2024. With the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Cali, Colombia, and the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, the year is pivotal for aligning global efforts to address the intertwined crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
As nations prepare to meet the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets and advance the Paris Agreement, the success of these conferences will hinge on bridging substantial finance gaps, achieving ambitious conservation goals like the 30×30, and ensuring inclusive participation, particularly from Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). The outcomes from Cali and Baku could significantly influence global momentum leading up to COP30 in Brazil, marking a decade since the Paris Agreement’s adoption. To better understand the stakes in this year’s talks, this brief guide previews 10 critical issues to be addressed in the negotiations.
Author Carlos Correa is a Non-Resident Fellow of the Institute of the Americas and Senior Fellow of Conservation International.