FAO at COP16: Promoting Climate Financing and One Health for Biodiversity Goals

At the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16), held in Cali, Colombia, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean underscored the crucial role of food systems in tackling climate change and the loss of marine and terrestrial biodiversity.

Under the theme “Peace with Nature,” representatives from nearly 200 countries, world leaders, and over a hundred ministers joined this global event to strengthen their commitment to conserving and sustainably using biodiversity, as well as to sustainable development.

FAO’s Latin America and Caribbean office maintained a full agenda, emphasizing the importance of climate financing, the One Health approach, pollinators, the bioeconomy, protected areas, and restoration in achieving these objectives.

Financing to Tackle Climate Challenges

María Mercedes Proaño, FAO’s Climate and Environmental Finance Officer, presented a compendium showing Latin America and the Caribbean’s progress towards the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework goals.

“Integrating marine and terrestrial biodiversity into our policies is a significant step, and FAO projects, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), are making a difference in the region. We are working toward Better Production and a Better Environment to drive Better Nutrition and a Better Life, leaving no one behind,” Proaño affirmed.

One Health: Integrating Human, Animal, Plant, and Environmental Health

Andrés González, Sustainable Livestock and Animal Health Officer emphasized the “One Health” approach as key to addressing the “triple crisis” of biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution.

“The One Health approach allows us to recognize the interdependence between the health of ecosystems, animals, plants, and people. It is a vital strategy for a sustainable future,” González noted.

Pollinators, Bioeconomy, Protected Areas, and Restoration

FAO also highlighted its work on protecting pollinators and their ecosystem services, which are essential for food security and biodiversity. It also presented a regional project that has trained over 3,300 people in 30 countries.

In the bioeconomy area, FAO presented a work agenda prioritizing inclusive rural transformation and sustainable development in the Amazon, in line with commitments from the Amazon Summit, the 2023 Belém Declaration, and the Amazon Bioeconomy Investment Program presented at the 2024 Investment Forum. The Organization also supported the launch of the Intersectoral Bioeconomy Mechanism to promote Green Growth in Colombia and the Pan-Amazonian Bioeconomy Network, aiming to strengthen and promote sustainable bioeconomy in the biome, focusing on local communities.

As the Technical Secretariat of the Latin American Network for Technical Cooperation on National Parks, other Protected Areas, Flora, and Fauna (RedParques), FAO participated in the regional council meeting, emphasizing the value of protected areas as tools for biodiversity conservation, ecological resilience, and community progress, as well as the crucial importance of communication and experience sharing.

Within the framework of the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, FAO highlighted its leadership in global initiatives to halt and reverse environmental degradation, collaborating with initiatives such as RedParques to protect the Amazon and other essential biomes.