Conference

UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP16

New SPARC evidence on how better natural resource management can support peacebuilding is helping to shape policy at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity COP 16.

Event date and time

Several people tend to seedlings in an outdoor nursery — Preparation of reforestation nurseries as part of the Great Green Wall at the Tessekere base, the six boreholes' forestry and pastoral reserve - Image by Baba Ba / ILRI - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Better natural resource management (NRM) in drylands can play a vital role in efforts to preserve nature, restore biodiversity loss, build sustainable livelihoods and support peacebuilding. Heads of State, ministers, businesses, indigenous groups, youth and financial institutions gathered in Cali, Colombia, for this year’s United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity COP 16 (UNCBD COP 16) from October 21 to November 1.

The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Peace with Nature’ and progress towards implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) goals was at the forefront of the agenda. Senior delegates gathered at the event to make the ‘Declaration of the World Coalition for Peace with Nature: A Call for Life’.

On October 25, SPARC participated an in-person event on ‘Harnessing investments in multifunctional landscapes to deliver on the Rio Conventions’ with colleagues at CGIAR. 200 people attended the session, which highlighted the importance of multifunctional landscapes in achieving the GBF goals. The event’s objectives were:

To emphasise the need for bridging financing gaps to support multifunctional landscape research and effectively implement the GBF.
To showcase how research, ecosystem service payments, and international cooperation can contribute to the success of multifunctional landscapes.
To discuss the potential of repurposing agricultural subsidies to finance the restoration of natural ecosystems.
To call for partnerships and collaboration among stakeholders to effectively implement multifunctional landscape approaches.

New SPARC evidence (unpublished), which explores how locally-led NRM initiatives can support conflict-resolution and preserve nature, also helped to inform key discussions at a CGIAR side-event on 'Peace with Nature: A Pathway to Achieving the Global Biodiversity Framework Goals and Beyond' at an event on Monday, October 28 at the conference.

SPARC researchers also highlighted their ongoing work on the role of NRM in peacebuilding at an event at this year's United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 in December, which you can find out more about here and don't miss our blog on NRM, 'Peace with Nature' and peacebuilding.