16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties for biodiversity

by María Josefina Arce

Next October, the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties for biodiversity, COP 16, will take place. This important event will be held in Colombia, a nation that has taken significant steps in the care of biodiversity under the mandate of President Gustavo Petro.

The South American nation will arrive at the summit with substantial progress, such as having reduced deforestation in the Amazon, the habitat of numerous species of plants and animals.

From 2022, the year Petro became president, to 2023, the indiscriminate cutting of trees fell by 36%, a figure that represents a new historic low.

The Colombian Amazon is home to more than 700 species of birds, 184 species of reptiles, 183 species of amphibians, and nearly 10,000 species of plants.

The government has launched the Forestry and Biodiversity Development Nuclei initiative, which involves peasant families and provides a form of payment for environmental services to prevent deforestation.

Also this month, Colombia joined the list of countries that have banned the use of single-use plastics to reduce marine pollution.         

According to international organizations, eight million tons of plastic are dumped into the oceans every year, and if this situation is not stopped by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish.

A truly alarming panorama due to its negative impact on marine life and human health.

Last June, President Petro also approved a law by which the country will implement the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments.

According to the authorities, this law aims to protect marine ecosystems from various organisms that damage biodiversity.

The current government is also committed to protecting the páramos, which are home to more than 5,000 species of flora and fauna and provide 70% of the water consumed in Colombia.

Although there is still a long way to go, there is no doubt that the government of President Gustavo Petro has a strong commitment to the protection of biodiversity in his country and the world, a position he has made clear at international events.