Climate Chance activities at COP16 Biodiversity
Our events and advocacy actions focused on the convergence of the climate and biodiversity agendas and on ecological connectivity.
The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity took place from October 21 to November 1, 2024, in Cali, Colombia. This international event brought together stakeholders from the conservation world, and Climate Chance was of course present to represent the International Coalition “Biodiversity Corridors in Africa”.
Alongside the negotiations, numerous side-events and strategic meetings were organized by institutions, research organizations, and civil society organizations. Climate Chance participated in many of these events, and also organized a high-level meeting.
The steering committee of the International Coalition “Biodiversity Corridors in Africa” met in the presence of Ms. Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister for Ecological Transition of France; Ms. Djami Diallo, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Guinea; Colonel Maurice Ntossui Allogo, Minister of Water and Forests of Gabon; a representative from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism of Tanzania; and our president, Ronan Dantec. This meeting provided an opportunity to review the progress of the coalition, present the pilot project in Guinea, define synergies with international networks such as the Observatory for Biodiversity and Protected Areas in West Africa (OBAPAO) and the Global Partnership for Ecological Connectivity (GPEC), and present the advancements of the International Advisory Group on Biodiversity Credits (IAPB) regarding biodiversity credits.
The side-event Regions4: “Incorporating Biodiversity into Climate Change Adaptation through Nature-based Solutions” aimed to promote debate on integrating ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) solutions into climate change adaptation tools and biodiversity conservation strategies. At this event, Ronan Dantec presented the coalition’s pilot project in Guinea, emphasizing its mapping efforts and the project’s goal of developing a methodology for generating carbon credits with co-benefits for biodiversity.
The UCLG (United Cities and Local Governments) side-event: “Taking Action for Biodiversity” featured a roundtable on the convergence between climate and biodiversity, with the participation of the deputy mayor of Marseille, Ms. Michèle Rubirola. Marseille will also host the Climate Chance Europe-Africa Summit on climate change adaptation challenges from March 31 to April 1, 2025.
Next steps for the coalition
In January, a scientific committee meeting will be held to set objectives for 2025. One major focus will be the development of the new report on the state of biodiversity corridors in Africa, to be published in 2025.
The working groups will continue their engagement with the aim of welcoming new institutional members or professionals from the scientific and conservation fields. The mapping of corridors in Africa, already completed for Tanzania, will continue to expand across the continent.
Advocacy work on ecological connectivity will continue, notably at major international events in 2025, such as the IUCN World Congress, the Global Partnership on Ecological Connectivity (GPEC) Congress, and COP30.