Love motels and gridlocked talks: all the news from Cop16
Oct 31, 2024
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Phoebe Weston, a biodiversity reporter for The Guardian, shares insights from the COP16 biodiversity summit in Cali, Colombia. She highlights the humorous yet stark realities facing delegates, including their unique lodging arrangements. The conversation dives into the significant funding gaps for biodiversity, stressing the $700 billion needed for effective conservation. Weston also discusses efforts to protect the endangered cotton-top tamarin, alongside urgent topics like indigenous rights and the interconnectedness of climate and biodiversity challenges.
The COP16 summit reveals the tension between wealthy nations' funding promises and the urgent financial needs of biodiversity efforts in developing countries.
Grassroots initiatives, exemplified by Rosamira Guillen's work with cotton-top tamarin monkeys, highlight the importance of local involvement in biodiversity conservation.
Deep dives
Unexpected Accommodations at COP16
The COP16 Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia has attracted a larger-than-expected number of delegates, leading to unconventional accommodations such as love motels. Delegates have reported humorous situations, highlighting the challenges of finding lodging, which became illustrated through experiences shared by reporters like Phoebe Weston. This unexpected influx demonstrates the growing global interest in biodiversity, but also uncovers logistical struggles, particularly for those whose hotels were canceled at the last minute. Amidst these quirky surroundings, the delegates are focused on addressing the pressing biodiversity crisis, which is critical given the alarming statistics indicating a significant decline in wildlife populations worldwide.
Financial Commitments and Challenges
A primary focus of COP16 is securing financial commitments from wealthy nations to support biodiversity efforts in developing countries. Although a promise of $20 billion annually was made for 2022-2025, reports suggest that wealthier nations are only partially meeting this target. For instance, recent pledges amounting to $160 million pale in comparison to the nearly $700 billion needed to close the biodiversity finance gap, a discrepancy poignantly illustrated when compared to the U.S. military spending. This situation has raised concerns among developing nations about the distribution and efficacy of incoming funds, as many feel that money intended for local conservation efforts is not reaching the communities that need it most.
Grassroots Conservation Efforts
One notable story from COP16 showcases the work of Rosamira Guillen, an environmental defender dedicated to saving the critically endangered cotton-top tamarin monkeys in Colombia. With a background in architecture, she has transformed her career to focus on creating protective areas for this species as well as educating local communities about conservation. Her initiatives not only include reforesting and establishing safe havens for the monkeys but also providing sustainable livelihood alternatives to locals who previously depended on hunting. Guillen’s participation in COP16 aims to raise awareness about grassroots conservation efforts and the importance of ensuring that financial resources are directed to local organizations working in biodiversity preservation.
Biodiversity correspondent Phoebe Weston takes Madeleine Finlay through the news from the UN Cop16 biodiversity summit in Cali, Colombia. Countries are wrangling over funding to protect nature and who should profit from the natural resources of the world’s least developed nations. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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