GFC at the 13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity (COP 13)

2 Dec 2016 to 17 Dec 2016
Cancun, Mexico

The CBD COP 13 was held from 2-17 December in Cancun, Mexico. The central theme of this COP was the integration of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in sectoral plans, programmes and policies.

A large number of GFC representatives attended COP13 and two side-events were co-hosted by GFC (see below). On the second day of the COP a major new report “What´s at steak? the real cost of meat” was launched, which received a significant amount of media coverage, both within and outside Mexico. Other advocacy activities prior to and during COP13 included the publication of a formal submission to the CBD on biodiversity, poverty eradication and sustainable development, the publication of a joint position paper with the ICCA Consortium containing detailed proposals on the draft decisions for the CBD COP, and the submission of joint comments with other CBD Alliance members on the COP’s draft Ministerial Declaration. GFC members also participated actively in the women’s caucus, which organised a successful action granting flower awards to governments that recognised the role or rights of women in their interventions. As a result, several governments made constructive proposals in this respect and the rights, roles and needs of women in biodiversity conservation are recognised in quite a number of the official decisions emanating from COP13.

The latest edition of GFC’s magazine, Forest Cover 51, also focusses on the CBD process. Various articles for ECO were published by GFC members during COP13 and a special poster on community conservation efforts was prepared and exhibited at the official CBD exhibition on communication, education and public awareness. In addition, there were at least seven oral interventions during the negotiations as well as effective direct advocacy targeting over 30 different country delegations.