A fair COP?


The Eden Project’s Head of Development, Dr Juliet Rose, reports back from COP 16 in Cali, Colombia.


Held every two years, the Biodiversity COP’s purpose is to create plans and agreements that promote the care of nature and the responsible use of its resources. I was invited by the British Embassies in Colombia and Mexico to lead a panel discussing the biodiversity funding gap and the role of genomics, collective targets, and venture capital to generate more investment in biodiversity, as well as the importance of recognising the rights of nature in more board rooms. Held in a park in the city centre, far from the


formal negotiations in the Blue Zone, the Green Zone hosted NGOs and community organisations. A maloka (a traditional house used for meetings) hosted a programme of events relating to indigenous rights. La Zona Verde was a busy, vibrant place, reminding everyone why culture and nature are inextricably entwined. Did COP 16 achieve what it set out to do?


Certainly, there were some wins. The Cali Fund was set up – companies that benefit from nature’s genetic data can now fund its protection. Indigenous people also gained greater recognition as vital stewards of nature. But there were disappointments too – such as a lack of agreement on funding for biodiversity for developing countries. However, in some ways, the alliances and new


collaborations that happen alongside the formal events of ‘La COP’, as Colombians called it, are as important and interesting as the main event.


Photo: Juliet Rose


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