The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity took place from October 21 to November 1, 2024, in Cali, Colombia. This international event brought together stakeholders from the conservation world, and the International Coalition “Biodiversity Corridors in Africa” was of course present, represented by Climate Chance.
Alongside the negotiations, numerous side-events and strategic meetings were organized by institutions, research organizations, and civil society organizations. The Coalition participated in many of these events, and also organized a high-level meeting.
The steering committee of the International Coalition “Biodiversity Corridors in Africa” met in the presence of Ms. Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister for Ecological Transition of France; Ms. Djami Diallo, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Guinea; Colonel Maurice Ntossui Allogo, Minister of Water and Forests of Gabon; a representative from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism of Tanzania; and our president, Ronan Dantec. This meeting provided an opportunity to review the progress of the coalition, present the pilot project in Guinea, define synergies with international networks such as the Observatory for Biodiversity and Protected Areas in West Africa (OBAPAO) and the Global Partnership for Ecological Connectivity (GPEC), and present the advancements of the International Advisory Group on Biodiversity Credits (IAPB) regarding biodiversity credits.
Next steps for the coalition:
In January, a scientific committee meeting will be held to set objectives for 2025. One major focus will be the development of the new report on the state of biodiversity corridors in Africa, to be published in 2025.
The working groups will continue their engagement with the aim of welcoming new institutional members or professionals from the scientific and conservation fields. The mapping of corridors in Africa, already completed for Tanzania, will continue to expand across the continent.
Advocacy work on ecological connectivity will continue, notably at major international events in 2025, such as the IUCN World Congress, the Global Partnership on Ecological Connectivity (GPEC) Congress, and COP30….