November 18, 2024
Last month, staff from the Goldman Prize attended the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, or “COP16.” Hosted in Cali, Colombia, October 21 through November 1, the conference gathered various stakeholders together to advance the Global Biodiversity Framework and take stock of international progress thus far.
Goldman Prize Winners Representing the Grassroots
While on the ground, our team was delighted to reunite with various Goldman Prize winners from around the world. The Prize winners brought a critical voice to the global stage—often speaking on panels on behalf of Indigenous and local communities. We are grateful to Global Witness, Earthrights International, the Ford Foundation, and others for helping to convene important grassroots-focused events that cover issues critical to Prize winners and their communities.
For many Prize winners, biodiversity is not only an economic or aesthetic consideration but an integral part of traditional culture and spiritual practice. As Prize winner Nonhle Mbuthuma (South Africa, 2024) shared in a panel, “The ocean for us is not just an ocean. It is our home; it is a sacred place.”
Alexandra Narvaez (Ecuador, 2022) echoed similar sentiments. She spoke of the importance of Indigenous communities to the conservation of biodiversity. A member of the Cofán, Alexandra is the first female member of her community’s forest monitoring group. She reflected that in the absence of state led conservation and enforcement, “we Indigenous communities are those actually protecting the Amazon.”
A Meeting with Vice President Francia Márquez
The Prize concluded COP16 with an intimate meeting with Colombian Vice President and Goldman Prize winner Francia Márquez (Colombia, 2018). Alongside Goldman Prize juror Wanjira Mathai, Prize winners gathered with Vice President Márquez and spoke about their shared work as community leaders and, for some, members of the African diaspora.
Looking Beyond COP16
While there is still much work to be done to meet global biodiversity goals, our team was encouraged by the inclusion of community voices, expanded opportunities for civil engagement, and the prominence of grassroots leaders throughout the two week conference. Located in central Cali, COP16’s expansive “green zone” was open to the public, which attended educational panels and walked among art installations. Dubbed “the People’s COP,” the green zone hosted some 40,000 attendees, according to Colombia’s environmental minister.
COP16 concluded with a significant win for grassroots communities: the creation of a new permanent body to ensure a seat at the table for Indigenous peoples, people of African descent, and local communities to help advance the Global Biodiversity Framework.
