COP 16 - World Conference on Nature in Cali against the massive extinction of species

From October 21 to November 1, the 16th UN World Conference on Nature(CBD COP16) will take place in Cali, Colombia. In view of the rapid extinction of species worldwide, social contract-based protection and restoration is particularly important. Stopping the extinction and #PeacewithNature - this year's motto - are the ambitious goals of the conference, which is being chaired by Colombia's Environment Minister Susana Muhamad. The Latin American country is one of the most biodiverse in the world.

Key facts

• Species extinction happens every minute. It is estimated that 130 to 150 species die every day.
• According to the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the current extinction rate is several hundred times higher than the natural rate.
• The International Biodiversity Council IPBES estimates that we will lose almost one million of the estimated eight million species of plants, animals and fungi by 2030 - if we do nothing about it.

At CBD COP 16, the progress made and the agreement reached at the previous COP 15 in Montreal in 2022 are to be reviewed and the states must outline how they will protect one third of their land and one third of their marine areas by 2030. Of the 196 member states, only 15 have so far published their national plans in this regard, including Germany. The "30/30" slogan is intended to have a similar impact as the 1.5-degree target in international climate protection.

Updated Red List: More than a quarter of all species threatened

"This is a great opportunity for one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. This event sends a message from Latin America to the world about the importance of climate action and the protection of life. It underlines the commitment of Colombia, President Gustavo Petro and the entire country to preserve our planet."

- H.E. Susana Muhamad, Minister of the Environment of Colombia

WWF Austria criticizes in advance

"By signing the World Convention on Biological Diversity, Austria has committed itself to developing a national strategy against the fatal loss of biodiversity. However, the measures currently outlined are far from sufficient",

According to the WWF in a press release, there is a great need for action throughout Austria. Currently, over 80 percent of species and habitat types protected under the Habitats Directive are not in a favorable conservation status and only 14 percent of rivers are still ecologically intact. At the same time, 90 percent of the original moorland areas have been destroyed. "The action plan must therefore place a special focus on the restoration of impaired ecosystems, especially forests, moors, rivers and other wetlands," explains Joschka Brangs from WWF.

The extinction of species is taking on apocalyptic proportions

An important instrument for this is the EU Restoration Regulation, which recently came into force and provides for extensive restoration measures in the EU. "The regulation already provides the legal framework that will also enable global requirements to be met," says Brangs. A soil protection treaty with a binding upper limit for land consumption is also needed. Furthermore, protected area management must be improved and protected areas must be expanded to cover 30 percent of the country's land area - a third of which must be placed under strict protection. To ensure the financing of these measures, Austria must increase the national biodiversity fund to one billion euros.