Deputy Minister Narend Singh leads delegation to United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD COP 16)

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South Africa participates in UNCBD COP16 to advance global biodiversity agenda

South Africa will participate in the 16th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD COP 16), taking place in Cali, Colombia, from 21 October – 1 November 2024. 

Led by the Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Mr Narend Singh, the South African delegation will actively engage in negotiations to promote global biodiversity conservation priorities, enhance sustainable use, and advocate for fair and equitable benefit-sharing from the utilization of genetic resources and digital sequence information on genetic resources. 

COP16 marks the first biodiversity conference since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), a pivotal global agreement aimed at halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. South Africa will further share progress and lessons learnt in domesticating the implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Since adoption of the GBF, South Africa adopted the White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s Biological Resources which outlines four broad goals aligned with the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity; conservation, sustainable use, access and benefit sharing and transformation.

Since 2023, the DFFE has engaged extensively a range of stakeholders in unpacking national targets as a basis for developing the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan with an associated National Biodiversity Finance that will be completed in 2025. South Africa has communicated its national targets ahead of the COP.

South Africa’s participation is guided by a strong negotiating mandate that aligns with the African Common Position as per resolutions of the 10th Special Session of the African Ministers Conference for Environment (AMCEN) held in Abidjan, Cot d’Ivoire. South Africa will negotiate as part of the Africa Group of Negotiators (AGN) on Biodiversity, focusing on key issues such as resource mobilization, mechanism for planning, reporting and review, scientific and technical cooperation, and how developing countries like South Africa can benefit from the use of digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources.

Key Issues for South Africa at COP16:

    Resource Mobilization: South Africa will advocate for the operationalisation of a dedicated Global Biodiversity Fund, under the authority of the COP, to ensure sustained financial support for the implementation of the GBF. This fund is critical to closing the $200 billion annual financing gap needed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. The country will call for clear financial commitments from developed nations to support developing countries to honour their obligations to developing countries in line with Article 20 of the Convention.  

    Digital Sequence Information on genetic resources (DSI): As a mega-diverse country, South Africa will strongly support adoption of pragmatic decision on the modality for the operationalisation of multilateral mechanism for fair and equitable sharing of benefits, both monetary and non-monetary, from the use of DSI for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity including livelihoods improvements for indigenous people and local communities. South Africa’s priorities for consideration at this COP includes triggers for benefit sharing, collection and distribution of funds, fund host and data governance.   

    Biodiversity and Climate Change: South Africa, recognises the interconnection between biodiversity and climate change, will advocate for  synergy between biodiversity conservation and climate action and land degradation, advocating for strong social and environmental safeguards as informed by science, the recognition of indigenous knowledge and experience from implementation of projects and will explore synergies with other relevant multilateral environmental agreements such as United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other biodiversity-related multilateral environmental agreements.

Deputy Minister Singh will participate in the High-Level Segment on 29 – 30 October 2024, where for the first time in CBD history, Heads of States and Finance Ministers have been invited to participate in order to provide political momentum to finalise key negotiations in the acceleration of the implementation of the GBF. 

“We approach COP16 with a clear focus on aligning biodiversity conservation with social and economic development, ensuring that the use of our biological resources benefits all South Africans. South Africa will demonstrate how it is making its fair share contribution to halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity within its national capabilities and further call for the provision of adequate, predictable and timely financial resources, for the protection of our natural heritage,” said Deputy Minister Singh. 

“Further, we will reiterate President Ramaphosa’s call at UNGA 75 that the financial architecture needs to be reformed to meet the needs of developing economies for sustainable development,” added Singh.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic Of South Africa: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.