High Seas Alliance at CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia

From 21 October – 1 November 2024, an important global Biodiversity Summit will take place in Cali, Colombia.

The 16th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) will be the first biodiversity COP since world governments agreed to the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) – a plan of action to protect at least 30 percent of land and sea by 2030 (30×30), the minimum scientists say is required to save life on Earth.

It will also be the first biodiversity COP since the new High Seas Treaty to protect ocean life in our vast international waters was adopted in June 2023.

Covering almost half the planet, the High Seas make up two-thirds of the ocean. Home to some of the most biodiverse and under-protected areas on Earth, their health is critical for safeguarding the entire ocean’s health, reversing biodiversity loss, and defending ourselves from the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

Achieving the global targets of the CBD – in particular the 30×30 goal – will be impossible unless we protect life in our international waters by swiftly ratifying and implementing the High Seas Treaty, including through the establishment of a network of High Seas marine protected areas (MPAs).

The High Seas Alliance team will be active during CBD COP16, highlighting the critical importance of High Seas action as a key part of biodiversity action, and will be co-hosting the following events:

24 October 2024, 19.30-21.30, Drinks reception to “Celebrate High Seas Action” with partners, IUCN Pavilion, Blue Zone

28 October 2024, 07:30-09:00, High-Level event “Raising Ambition and Accelerating Action to Protect High Seas Biodiversity”, Nature Positive Pavilion, Big Room, Blue Zone (invite only)

29 October 2024, 10:00-11:30, “From COP 16 to UNOC 3: Accelerating the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity”, EU Pavilion, Blue Zone (Live stream available)

31 October 2024 14.00-15.00, “Building momentum for youth priorities toward 30×30 and BBNJ implementation, a nature positive path to UNOC”, Nature Positive Pavilion, Small Room, Blue Zone

📢 COP16 CONTINUES⬇️

Head over to Instagram to follow along with EarthEcho and our youth delegation. #COP16 #HighSeasTreaty #OceanProtection pic.twitter.com/0VDp59Ys1w
— EarthEcho Int'l (@EarthEcho) October 30, 2024

Check out our position paper for High Seas issues at the CBD COP16 in English and Spanish.

Dive deeper into the linkages between the High Seas Treaty and the CBD in English, Spanish, and French.

Find out more about the incredible biodiversity in some of the priority areas that could become the first generation of High Seas marine protected areas (MPAs).