In October 2024, during COP16 in Cali, Colombia, SNAP Québec mobilized to breathe life into the Montreal Call and discussions on solutions to the underlying causes of biodiversity collapse.
A key COP for implementing the new global biodiversity framework
COP16 was the first COP to implement the new global biodiversity framework, and each country was invited to present its action plan for meeting the 2030 targets.
A good foundation is an essential step in bringing the dialogue on solutions to the underlying causes of biodiversity loss to decision makers at the highest levels, as all stakeholders must be committed to making transformative changes.
We also wanted forge connections with Colombian civil society to enrich and advance the dialogue.
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An event at COP16 in Cali
On October 24, 2024, SNAP Québec organized the only civil society event included in COP16’s official programming, “From Montreal to Cali: Building Bridges to Operate Transformative Change.”
The event sparked an inspiring exchange on measuring wealth and possible alternatives to the GDP as a means of measuring progress and societal health, with opening remarks from Susana Muhamad, Colombia’s Minister of Environment and president of COP16; Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity; Dr. Lucas Alejandro Garibaldi, Chair of the IPBES Work Programme on Transformative Change; and Mauricio Mira Pontón, General Director of Cali’s environmental authority.
The panel was moderated by Arturo Escobar, anthropologist at the Universidad del Valle; Brian Czech, Executive Director of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy; Eric Pineault, professor at UQAM’s Institute of Environmental Sciences, and Alice de Swarte, Strategic Advisor at SNAP Québec.
“We are proud that a seed of hope, sown by civil society in Montreal in 2022, is now sprouting in Cali. Addressing the direct causes of biodiversity loss is essential, but it is no longer enough. We need to create more spaces for dialogue on solutions to the underlying causes, and we’re pushing the idea that the next COPs should include a full day dedicated to transformative change.”
- Alain Branchaud, Managing Director and biologist at SNAP Québec
The event was partly funded by the Quebec government.
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