In October 2024, the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16), was held in Cali, Colombia. This landmark event brought together governments, researchers, NGOs and civil society to discuss global progress in implementing the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and to set new priorities for action.
SELINA was represented through the participation of partners including the Capitals Coalition, the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD), UNEP-WCMC and the Cohab Initiative. Together, they showcased SELINA’s work and contributed to international discussions on how to align biodiversity, ecosystem services and finance with sustainable policy and practice.
The FSD team played an active role at the Netherlands Pavilion, where they took part in several side events addressing key issues at the heart of SELINA’s mission. FSD contributed to panel discussions on topics including the value of ecosystem services and aligning finance with nature, blended finance for nature with a landscape approach, biodiversity-related risks and opportunities to the financial sector, and connecting biodiversity and finance through ecosystem services to build the future of environmental decision-making. These discussions highlighted how SELINA’s outputs can support the financial sector in addressing biodiversity-related risks and opportunities, and how ecosystem services data and valuation can guide better decision-making for people and nature.
The Cohab Initiative also played a central role, building on its long-standing engagement with CBD processes by supporting Parties with scientific, technical and policy expertise. Cohab also joined a side event on biodiversity and health co-ordinated by Pensoft, on behalf of several EU Horizon Europe projects, where Conor shared SELINA’s perspective on how ecosystem services can inform health sector responses. In addition, he hosted a virtual session from Cali for SELINA’s Early Career Researchers’ Network, offering young scientists insights into the negotiations, the policy landscape, and how SELINA’s work links directly to the issues debated at COP16.
Through these contributions, SELINA partners demonstrated the project’s commitment to bridging science, policy and practice. Their engagement at COP16 strengthened connections with global partners, showcased innovative approaches to integrating ecosystem services into decision-making, and highlighted SELINA’s role in supporting the transition towards more sustainable, just and resilient societies.
