Colombia’s Environment Minister, Susana Muhamad, recently shared the nation’s vision of leading a unified approach to climate action and biodiversity conservation. This initiative aims to merge efforts for environmental protection with climate change mitigation within the framework of United Nations negotiations.
In a report by Reuters, it was announced that the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity will be held on October 21 in Colombia, with the ambitious goal of stopping the rapid degradation of nature.
Currently, the United Nations oversees three separate environmental conventions focused on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification. Minister Muhamad emphasized the difficulties faced by resource-strapped developing nations in navigating such fragmented negotiations, suggesting that these limited resources could be better allocated to create a more cohesive approach.
“If we’re having the same discussions in all three conventions, we’re wasting time and missing out on potential synergistic benefits,” she stated.
She pointed out that these synergistic opportunities include efforts to curb deforestation, which poses a significant threat to biodiversity and is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions in many Latin American countries.
Muhamad indicated that Colombia intends to advocate for this unified strategy ahead of next year’s 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, set to take place in Brazil. “We want to promote a comprehensive plan that addresses all three conventions, as they are intricately linked,” she explained.
Additionally, she mentioned that at a recent meeting of Latin American environment ministers in Rio de Janeiro, Panama presented the idea of a unified commitment, which received robust support from several countries, although she chose not to disclose their names.
Furthermore, she highlighted Colombia’s recently announced $40 billion investment plan, which aims to transition from fossil fuel reliance, promote energy transformation, and support conservation efforts.
Colombia is also advocating for the integration of human rights into environmental policies and plans to introduce a “Living in Harmony with Nature” alliance at COP16.
“We genuinely believe that protecting and reconnecting with nature, alongside collaborating with diverse communities for its conservation, will not only foster peace but also enhance our resilience against climate change impacts,” Muhamad emphasized. “Ignoring climate change could lead to larger conflicts.”
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