Oxford University academics to advocate for ambitious nature recovery actions at UN biodiversity conference
Launching today, the United Nations Conference of the Parties for Biodiversity (COP16) will bring together governments from nearly 200 countries to decide on actions to meet the agreed target to halt and reverse the loss of nature by 2030. A delegation of more than thirty University of Oxford researchers will be following the proceedings, both in-person and online, contributing their expertise to the discussions. The conference takes place from 21 October – 1 November in Cali, Colombia.
The Oxford delegation comprises around 30 researchers representing the Department of Biology, School of Geography and the Environment, Blavatnik School of Government, Saïd Business School, Department for Continuing Education, and the Laudato Si’ Research Institute. Their expertise covers a wide spectrum including conservation and human rights; nature-based solutions; biodiversity finance; climate change and biodiversity; human-wildlife conflict; wildlife trade; land use; and environmental law.
The Oxford delegates going to COP16 include:
‘Currently, conservation finance faces an enormous deficit, estimated at $600-800 billion. This means that a key priority for COP16 is to consider new financial models for biodiversity. A particularly exciting breakthrough could be the negotiations around setting up a fund for conservation based on contributions of users of genetic information (Digital Sequence Information), for pharmaceuticals for example. Another important discussion is the urgent need to develop a robust, holistic indicator for the sustainable use of wildlife, which does not currently exist.’
‘My hope is that Cali will mark a turning point where commitments become concrete actions, with more countries submitting robust action plans that set us on a path to halt and reverse nature's decline by 2030 whilst also helping us mitigate and adapt to climate change. We want nations to act with ambition, integrity and unity to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework effectively, aligning it with climate action, and ensuring that all voices, especially those of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, are heard and empowered in the fight to protect nature, and ourselves as part of nature.’
‘Governments have made impressive commitments in the Global Biodiversity Framework to move towards rights-based approaches to conservation. However, conservationists need practical tools on how to make this happen. Our new guidance is designed to meet this need. It provides authoritative information on international human rights law and standards as well as presenting several practical tools for rights-based conservation.’
‘The biodiversity crisis requires coordinated international action, with input from different sectors and knowledge systems. At COP16, we hope to emphasize the important role that science and academia can play in informing biodiversity conservation policy. It is essential that we strengthen partnerships for effective mobilization of capacities and resources, share existing knowledge and expertise, and push for greater capacity-building and development internationally.’
‘The inclusion of Targets 22 and 23 in the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was a milestone in 2022. I am hopeful that COP16 will build on this by strengthening the key mechanisms to embed gender equality and women’s rights into GBF implementation, particularly in the elaboration of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, funding access, and the monitoring framework.’
‘I am a strong advocate for the creation of an "International (Global) Biodiversity Fund" from public, private and philanthropic sources, which could directly support Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities' (IP&LC) efforts to protect and restore nature. My hope for COP16 is that robust, just, meaningful, transparent, rights-based, and culturally respectful rules are defined for the distribution of funding under the newly created Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (KMGBFF), and other financial mechanisms under the GBF, and that such funds are directly awarded to parties and local organizations, as only around 1% of conservation funds reach the ground. Currently 20% of the funds of the KMGBFF will support IP&LC, yet I hope that this amount is increased.’
‘I hope to see bold commitments to mobilise resources and find common purpose between the global north and south, to safeguard biodiversity hotspots, and meet needs whilst keeping our planet liveable.’