Stop Ecocide International will be present at COP16 on Biodiversity, to be held in Cali, Colombia, from October 21 to November 1, 2024.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), held every 2 years, is one of the three so-called "Rio Conventions" agreed upon by the member countries of the United Nations at the 1992 Earth Summit.

This multilateral environmental agreement has three main objectives: conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources.

Colombia has been a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) since 1995, through Law 165 of 1994.

This will be the first COP on Biodiversity since the adoption of the Kunming - Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework , which took place at COP 15 during December 2022, in Montreal, Canada, which aims to catalyse, facilitate and drive urgent and transformative action by Governments, subnational and local authorities, with the participation of the whole of society, to stop and reverse the loss of biological diversity, and thus contribute to the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the objectives of its Protocols. This framework defined a Mission and 23 targets for 2030 that promote the adoption of urgent measures to stop and reverse the loss of biological diversity, and put nature on the path to recovery for the benefit of people and the planet in line with the three objectives of the CBD.

This is an opportunity to address issues of interest to Colombia such as the positioning of a global agenda that promotes Peace with Nature, the recognition of biodiversity and nature as a pillar of climate action and the strengthening of the participation of all groups in society in decisions that involve the containment of the biodiversity loss crisis.

The establishment of ecocide as an international crime, and its adoption by national legislation, will contribute to protecting both the environment and human rights, in particular the right to live in a pollution-free environment, as well as the rights of indigenous peoples who inhabit their territories in harmony with nature. The current biodiversity crisis is occurring at all three levels addressed by the Conference: ecosystems, species and genetic resources. The crime of ecocide will protect against damage caused at all three levels.

Stop Ecocide International's participation in this international summit aims to share different legal strategies for the protection of nature, the territory and its defenders, including our proposal to make ecocide an international crime. And we will do so through two official parallel events, one hybrid and one in person, as well as an unofficial artistic action. The last two will be organized by Colombia Sin Ecocidio.

This work is supported by