Environment minister: UN Biodiversity Conference a “disappointment” | Yle News

Outgoing Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Kai Mykkänen (NCP) spoke to Yle as the UN COP16 nature talks ended in Colombia on Saturday.

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The depleted Parana do Manaquiri River in the Amazon in September, as Brazil endures its worst drought since 1950. Image: Raphael Alves / EPA

The United Nations’ COP16 Biodiversity Conference in Colombia ended on Saturday with most key questions unresolved, said the Finnish Environment Ministry said in a statement on Saturday afternoon.

“The end result was disappointing,” said Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Kai Mykkänen (NCP). “Our goal of strong rules for the implementation of nature goals was not achieved.”

Mykkänen led the Finnish delegation at the Cali conference, which failed to decide on rules for countries to use in reporting their conservation goals or on financing for the struggle against biodiversity loss.

Two accomplishments

The meeting was, however, able to agree on two issues.

COP16 also agreed to create a permanent body for indigenous and local communities to officially consult on UN nature decisions, as well as recognising the role of Afro-descendant communities in conservation.

An agreement was also reached on how companies in sectors such as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics should pay for the use of genetic information drawn from biodiversity in their research and development.

The payments could generate billions of dollars for nature conservation that would be directed to a fund that would distribute half of the proceeds to indigenous peoples and local communities.

Mykkänen welcomed the establishment of the genetic fund as a historic achievement, calling it “the result of more than a decade of effort”.

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Minister of Climate and the Environment Kai Mykkänen (NCP) outside Parliament in September. Image: Matti Myller / Yle

“It is indeed positive that biodiversity work will get more resources other than those coming from taxpayers’ pockets through this fund,” Mykkänen said.

“Now it is important to quickly establish a new benefit sharing fund for digital genetic information, in a simple, usable form,” said Mykkänen, who is stepping down in January.

Speaking to Yle by phone just after the meeting broke up, he also expressed regrets.

“I’m disappointed that we didn’t agree on a rulebook for the implementation of nature protection goals. The goal of strong rules for the implementation of conservation goals was not achieved, so we must try again next time,” said Mykkänen.

The Finnish – and EU – goal was a set of comprehensive rules on how countries should monitor and report on their nature activities.

Developing countries, on the other hand, wanted to establish a new fund to finance their nature protection measures. Neither the EU nor Finland supported this.

During the negotiations, the questions became intertwined, and no agreement was reached. Both the follow-up and funding issues remained completely unresolved.

Sámi parliamentarian hails indigenous decision

The President of the Sámi Parliament in Finland, Pirita Näkkäläjärvi, said that the decision of the UN Nature Conference to create a permanent representation for the indigenous peoples in future meetings was historic.

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Image: Sara Kelemeny / Yle

Näkkäläjärvi told the news agency STT that she believes that the indigenous peoples have much to contribute to solving problems related to biodiversity loss and climate change.

The meeting was supposed to end on Friday, but it was extended to Saturday morning local time. Eventually, many negotiators had to leave so it was no longer possible to make decisions, the Ministry of the Environment said.

The nature meeting was a follow-up to the 2022 COP15 meeting in Montreal, Canada.

At that conference, 188 governments agreed that by 2030 all participating countries must protect 30 percent of their land and sea areas, restore 30 percent of their ecosystems, reduce pollution and phase out harmful agricultural and business subsidies.

The process is aimed at slowing the loss of biodiversity, threatens to drive countless species into extinction, thereby threatening the future of humanity.

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