COP16 on Biodiversity: Down with Fossil Fuels, Up with Life!
Compañerxs,
With the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Cali just days away, and as the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change intensify, it is crucial that the solutions put forward directly confront the destructive force driving both: the fossil fuel industry.
The extraction of oil, gas and coal threatens the very fabric of life on Earth, putting our ecosystems, our climate, our cultures and our economies at risk. In biodiversity-rich regions of the Global South - from the Amazon to the Andes to the Himalayas - the survival of indigenous communities, the historic protectors of biodiversity, is severely threatened, endangering their existence as well as that of all generations, present and future.
To confront these intertwined crises, governments must rise to the challenge, taking a cue from the tireless resistance and advocacy efforts of indigenous nationalities and civil society to stop the onslaught of fossil fuel companies. The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty offers this bold and necessary framework to stop the exploitation of fossil fuels and move towards a just and sustainable future.
Despite the clear links between fossil fuel extraction, biodiversity loss and the violation of indigenous peoples' rights, fossil fuels have not featured prominently in the CBD negotiations. However, Colombia, the host country of this COP and champion of the pioneering proposal of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, has explicitly connected the climate change and biodiversity agendas. This makes COP16 a decisive moment to open a new front in the fight to phase out fossil fuels and redefine our relationship with nature, transforming it from one of exploitation to one of repair and regeneration.
With the strength and joy of united resistance, we will organise several events during COP16 to reflect this need for vital change. From strengthening South-South alliances in the fight against extractivisms, to amplifying voices directly affected by this destruction, we come together to forge a common path.
These meetings remind us that the battle for the future of our planet is not just about reducing emissions, but about preserving cultures, ensuring justice and building a global movement that prioritises life over profit.
Join us, so that COP16 will be a turning point where we commit; Together, for a fossil free world!
Andrés Gómez Latin American Lead for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
The most biodiverse areas are also the most culturally rich, and both are under threat from the fossil fuel industry. Protecting this biocultural diversity is key to our survival. It's time to link these regions and build a stronger global resistance against extractivism, creating fossil-free zones across Latin America and Africa.
Universidad ECCI - Lobby Teatro - Piso 4, Av. 4 Nte. #13N-03
While fossil fuels do not feature in the CBD negotiations, there are clear links between fossil fuel extraction, biodiversity loss and the undermining of indigenous peoples’ rights in areas such as the Amazon. The Colombian government has chosen as the theme for COP16 the appropriate perspective of building “Peace with Nature” which explicitly links the climate crisis agenda with the CBD, making the conference a moment of opening of a new front in the fight to phase out fossil fuels, also seeking to protect biodiversity.
Get ready for a night full of energy and Afro-Colombian music! We start at 8pm with a “Vichera conversation”, and then at 10pm there will be a salsa class and show. At midnight, the stage will light up with music from Heryb Bonilla and La Calle Manigua, who mix tropical and Afro-Caribbean rhythms and are winners of the 2023 Petronio Álvarez Festival. After that, we’ll dance until 3am to the best beats of DJ Prieto. At the same time, there will be an Afro market from 9pm to midnight!
The Llano Verde community will share their story of resistance and re-existence through murals, and to open a debate on how the most biodiverse and culturally rich areas are threatened by extractivism. Protecting this biocultural diversity is key to our survival. It is time to unite these regions and build a stronger global resistance against extractivism.
In the framework of the summit of presidents for the Amazon, a process of collective construction of a political proposal has been initiated that gathers demands and proposals from indigenous peoples with the objective of declaring the Amazon a territory free of fossil fuels, by and for the territories. The first assembly took place in Bolivia at FOSPA, and the second in Ecuador during the International Summit for Yasuní. The third assembly will take place in Cali on the 28th of October!
Nuqui - Academia & Research meeting room, Plaza One, Centro de Eventos Valle Del Pacífico
In 2022, Vanuatu became the first nation-state to call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty at the UN General Assembly, followed by Tuvalu at COP27. By 2024, 14 more nations have joined the call, supported by a wide range of actors, including the WHO, indigenous nations, cities like London and Paris, and various activists and leaders. Colombia, part of the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA), is now leading the fight against fossil fuels, directly linking climate action with biodiversity protection. At COP16, Colombia’s theme of "Peace with Nature" opens a new front in eliminating fossil fuels to protect biodiversity.
The event will be in English and Spanish with live interpretation available.
