COP16 will be the first Biodiversity COP since the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework, also known as The Biodiversity Plan. Governments will review the progress made to implement the Biodiversity Plan, and the level of alignment of their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) with it.
At COP16, governments plan to further negotiate the monitoring framework, advance resource mobilization (in particular how the implementation will be financed) and finalize the multilateral mechanism on the fair and equitable Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources.
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Attended by participants from over 190 countries, COP16 will bring together governments, observer organizations, indigenous communities, businesses, youth groups, civil society academia and the general public.
Why is COP16 relevant for business?
COP16 is the first implementation COP, where governments and non-state actors—such as businesses, financial institutions, cities, and civil society—will come together to review progress and plan further actions for the Global Biodiversity Framework. Following the strong business engagement at COP15, businesses will play a crucial role at COP16 in urging governments to make nature a key focus. Companies are increasingly assessing and committing to nature strategies, but more action is needed to achieve the collective goal of halting and reversing nature loss by 2030. The business community must prioritize participation in COP16.
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Demonstrate growing momentum
and leadership:
All businesses have the responsibility to show up and demonstrate the actions they are taking to contribute towards achieving the targets in the Biodiversity Plan. Businesses must remain committed to this international political process which provides key milestones to take stock and push for more ambition and accountability to achieve a nature-positive world for all by 2030.
2
Connect with peers:
COP16 will bring together businesses of all sizes, sectors and geographies. We anticipate there will be a wide range of business-specific events inside and outside the main venue to meaningfully discuss and overcome shared challenges and learn from each other to drive action.
3
Engage with governments on upcoming policies and regulation:
Governments are updating their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). These translate the Biodiversity Plan into policies and regulations at regional and national levels which has direct consequences on company operations. COP16 will create a conversation forum for all actors to discuss effective means of implementation at the global, regional, national and local level.
4
Dialogue with other stakeholder groups:
COP16 will convene other stakeholder groups including governments, cities, Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLCs), academia and youth. This presents a unique opportunity for businesses to continue constructive dialogue around whole-of-society approaches to strengthen and improve their actions and strategies.
Business participation at COP16
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As a global coalition, Business for Nature and its partner organizations will bring together leading businesses at COP16 who are ready to push for high ambition and accelerated government action. We will collectively demonstrate business leadership and action in this decade of implementation.
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We are currently engaging with the UN CBD secretariat and the COP16 Presidency to ensure that there are meaningful engagement opportunities for businesses to participate at COP.
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Participation Avenues:
Blue Zone: The Blue Zone is an area within the main conference venue specifically designated for negotiations and dialogues between member countries and accredited observers. The blue Zone will host key events such as plenary sessions, official side events and official bilateral and multi-lateral meetings.
Please note: Entry to the Blue Zone is limited to official delegations from member countries, and accredited observers through a registration process. Registration for the Blue Zone is now closed.
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Green Zone: The green is a space outside the main conference area (Bulevar del Rio de Cali) designed to encourage the active participation of civil, society, NGOs, the private sector and other interested stakeholders. This zone is open to the public and will aim to facilitate conversations, and inspire concrete actions for biodiversity conservation and strengthen citizen participation in key environmental discussions. Access to the Green Zone is not subject to registration.
Depending on traffic, the transit between the two zones can take 30 – 40 minutes so make sure to plan ahead as delegates will likely shuffle between these two locations.
