This year, Colombia is preparing to be the epicenter of COP16, the international conference on Biological Diversity (CBD, by its spanish acronym) that will bring together leaders, experts and citizens from more than 30 countries to discuss and outline actions on climate change.
The choice of the city of Cali as a venue is no coincidence, its rich biodiversity, its commitment to sustainability and its vibrant culture makes it the ideal setting for an event of this magnitude. Moreover, Cali as a host will not only offer a platform for the discussion and negotiation of climate policies that create government commitments, but will also have more than 1.152 academic events, 280 cultural activities and four public participation routes (from the communes to the municipalities surrounding the city) in order to mobilize civil society and promote concrete actions at the local level.
In addition, this forum will provide a space for indigenous peoples and communities in Latin America and the Caribbean to present their ancestral knowledge and innovative solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Likewise, Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez requested the participation of the territories and communities of the Pacific, like women and young people from Afro-descendant villages.
These sessions are expected to allow a valuable knowledge exchange and foster the integration of traditional sustainable practices into global climate policies.
"Our voice is and will be heard from our policy of a diplomacy for life, for peace and for reconciliation with nature. This is the ideal scenario, I come back and insist in favor for the unification of the country, and to unite the country with the world. A unique opportunity to transcend not only as Colombia, but to put Latin America and the Caribbean on the radar, to propose to the world a better future focused on protecting nature," Said Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo, about this great opportunity for the coffeemaker country to consolidate its leadership in environmental matters in front of the rest of the world.
For the first time, the COP (Conference of the Parties) will feature the largest Green Zone in its history. 350.000 square meters will host more than 5.400 people a day during the 16 daily events that will take place between October 21st and November 1, 2024.
These meetings will be open to all citizens and can be consulted on the conference website, where the agenda for each day will be detailed for those interested in participating.
Source:
https://www.minambiente.gov.co/agenda-cop16-colombia-presenta-el-programa-de-accion-mas-grande-en-la-historia-de-la-cumbre-de-biodiversidad/