Developing countries hope to secure more funding for biodiversity conservation at COP16

One of the pressing issues being discussed at the ongoing 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) in Colombia's city of Cali is how to secure sufficient funding for developing countries to protect their diverse ecosystems.

During the second phase of COP15, held in Montreal, Canada, in December 2022, developing countries made a plea for increased funding. Government representatives at the conference agreed to provide at least 30 billion U.S. dollars annually by 2030. However, questions remain about how the funds will be distributed.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on the sidelines of COP16, Luis Alfonso Escobar Jaramillo, governor of Colombia's Narino department, expressed hope that the conference will address this question. Narino boasts five distinct ecosystems within a single state, making conservation a daunting task for local governments and communities.

"The question is how are funds going to be distributed? In a sectorial manner? Through issues like mangroves, forests? And [cooperation] with universities or investigators? Or cooperation with regions, or with local governments and communities. to transform their realities that affect conservation on the frontline," said Jaramillo.

There is also the question of how developing nations can leverage their valuable ecosystems to generate tangible benefits for local communities.

"Paradoxically, we are in the richest place in terms of biodiversity, but also the poorest for the communities, and with the lowest quality of life," said Dilian Francisca Toro, governor of Colombia's Valle del Cauca department.

COP16 is expected to adopt a decision on how the multilateral mechanism for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of digital sequence information (DSI) of genetic resources should operate, including the creation of a dedicated fund to collect and disburse the generated resources.

Toro expressed hope that the DSI mechanism will mobilize new and additional funding streams to support biodiversity initiatives in developing countries.

"Scientists go and investigate the Amazon, the Pacific and all our biodiversity for medicine, for health benefits. And it turns out they take this information, but the communities never benefited. Now the idea is that the investigations are transferred to a better way of living for the communities," said the governor.

COP16, which began on Monday and runs through November 1, brings together more than 15,000 participants from over 190 countries, including global environmental ministers and ecological experts, making it the most attended event of its kind since the conference's inception in 1994.

Developing countries hope to secure more funding for biodiversity conservation at COP16

Developing countries hope to secure more funding for biodiversity conservation at COP16

Developing countries hope to secure more funding for biodiversity conservation at COP16

Senior representatives from major regional news media organizations, gathering at the ongoing 12th Global Video Media Forum (VMF) in China, say they are looking to amplify the voices of the media in the Global South to help consolidate cooperation and friendship in an ever more challenging global environment.

The forum opened in Quanzhou in east China's Fujian Province on Tuesday, bringing together 200 media representatives from over 60 countries and regions in the historic coastal city.

By working more closely together, media organizations in the Global South can reap rewards that might otherwise be unavailable, according to Ahmed Nadeem, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcast Union.

"If we work together, there is an opportunity for us to bring out the best from these Global South countries who have much less resources," he said.

Other media representatives at the VMF stressed that in challenging times, it is even more important for developing countries to have their voices heard on the global stage.

"[The Global] South media have a lot of responsibility to build a new opinion," said Issoufou Sare, Director-General of BF1 Television.

"[The media can provide] solutions for misunderstandings or stereotypes. So the media have a major role. They can bridge our cultures and make us know each other better," said Feten Fardi, head of Arab and International Cooperation Unit, Arab States Broadcasting Union.

The event also witnessed the launch of the "Global South Media Dialogue and Cooperation Mechanism and Joint Initiative," a program to support closer cooperation led by China Media Group.

"That will help to promote our voices, our realities to make the world know better about our customs, realities, about our history, about our culture, customs, about our problems, but also our achievements," said Martin Hacthoun, chief editor of Press Latina News Agency.

The two-day VMF is being held under the theme "Intelligence Without Frontiers, Vision Beyond The Horizon -- Media's Role in Communication and Cultural Exchange."

Launched by the CCTV Video News Agency (CCTV+) in 2011, the VMF is an annual professional journalism forum focusing on the latest trends and innovations in news and journalism, which provides a highly specialized, unique and interactive platform for domestic and foreign media peers.

Media groups aim to amplify voice of Global South at VMF