By Patrick Nadeau, Birds Canada President & CEO
COP16 begins today in Cali, Colombia. Which is fitting, because Colombia boasts very high biodiversity – it’s also the country with the most bird species in the world with the regional municipality of Cali being home to more bird species than all of Canada! Birds Canada is present, including myself and senior staff, along with many counterparts from the BirdLife International partnership from around the world. We’re here because the stakes are high – and we collectively understand that the fate of so many bird populations lies in the global community’s ability to meet the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) objectives. Or as the theme of COP16 so aptly puts it, humanity needs to make Peace with Nature.
From left to right: Patrick Nadeau (President & CEO, Birds Canada), Evelyne Morin (Director – International Cooperation & Conservation, Birds Canada), Greg Spira (Senior Program Director – International Cooperation & Conservation, Birds Canada) Martin Harper (CEO, BirdLife International). Photo: Fel Castañeda Gamboa
The Conference of the Parties (COPs) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBDs), are pivotal meetings that bring together countries and stakeholders to negotiate global strategies for conserving nature. Established under the United Nations framework, the COPs serve as the supreme decision-making body for the Convention on Biological Diversity. These conferences provide a platform for countries to set new targets, report on their progress, and adopt decisions that guide international efforts to protect ecosystems and species.
Biodiversity COPs typically occur every two years. COP15, held in Montreal two years ago, yielded a historical international agreement known as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It contains 23 specific targets which countries have agreed to meet by 2030, guided by their National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAP). After COP15, Birds Canada and many other groups provided expertise and pushed for Canada to publish an ambitious NBSAP, with a clear pathway to achieving all 23 GBF targets. While not perfect, Canada published its NBSAP earlier this year, and it does contain some key elements to support its ambition to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity.
The next chapter is now upon us. As Canada steps onto the international stage at COP16, it must live up to the urgency to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. Canada now has an action plan, but the true test will be in implementation – and on some targets, we’re already behind. Here are three in particular which we are tracking.
One of the most important shifts that are needed globally is for developed nations to shore up financial support for developing countries to enable inclusive, locally-led conservation action, as called for by Target 19 of the GBF. A recent ODI report shows that Canada is currently contributing well under our fair share in this regard. Canada can, and must do more. In Cali, we are calling on Canada to urgently increase its international investments for nature, in line with Target 19. This means allocating funds to reflect our fair share of the global effort to protect nature while adhering to the principle of additionality—new biodiversity funding must not come at the expense of other crucial areas such as climate adaptation or poverty reduction. Canada must also ensure that its long-term conservation funding is smarter, more equitable, and inclusive; including more Indigenous communities, local conservation groups, and innovative partners who are on the frontlines of biodiversity protection. Moreover, climate and biodiversity finance must be integrated, so that every dollar works harder and serves both purposes, recognizing the interdependence of climate stability and biodiversity health. Finally, we propose that Canada earmark some of its international biodiversity financing to implement existing Conservation Investment Strategies in Latin America. These comprehensive, science-based strategies were developed specifically to inform migratory bird conservation in Latin America and the Caribbean – with support from the Government of Canada and significant engagement and leadership from local stakeholders. The Conservation Investment Strategy for the mid-elevation forests of Central and South America, for example, focuses on forests and agroforestry systems located at mid-elevations in Central America and northern South America, which are recognized as critical habitats for several species of migratory birds in steep decline such as Canada Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, and Golden-winged Warbler.
In recent years, Canada has made progress on Target 3, often referred to as 30×30, which refers to the objective of safeguarding 30% of countries’ land and waters by 2030. Yet this objective is about much more than a numbers game of tallying up hectares. The areas we identify for conservation must be areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystems functions and services – otherwise, we could meet the target “numerically” while still leaving important ecosystems and species to decline. That’s why in Cali, we’re urging Canada’s federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to ensure that Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are integrated as a fundamental tool to identify priority areas for conservation. These are Canada’s crown jewels for nature, including irreplaceable hotspots for many bird populations. We need them safeguarded.
Finally, we plan to use our time in Cali to highlight Canada’s progress on Target 21, which calls for ensuring that the best available biodiversity data is accessible to all. Under Target 21, countries must expand the flow of reliable, transparent information to decision-makers, conservation practitioners, and the public. This knowledge is essential for informed policy-making and for mobilizing the full power of citizen action in biodiversity conservation. We believe that the bird data being made publicly available in Canada is a strong example of progress on Target 21. Birds Canada’s NatureCounts, now one of the world’s largest biodiversity databases, was developed with significant support from the Government of Canada. It has enabled innovative and accessible products such as the recently-published State of Canada’s Birds. This is precisely the type of product needed to inform more science-based decision-making, and we plan to promote it as an example for other countries and stakeholders to emulate.
As we dive into COP16, we are filled with anticipation and determination to join our BirdLife International counterparts and engage in critical conversations about biodiversity conservation. This gathering offers a unique opportunity to unite with global leaders, activists, and communities in our shared mission to protect the Earth’s rich ecosystems, in particular the birds we know and love. Stay tuned as we share updates from the forefront of this important dialogue.