SwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

Police Protection at Meeting to Save Animals and Nature

The plan to save the Earth's plants and animals was nailed down two years ago. But since then, not much has happened. At this year's UN meeting COP16 in Colombia, demands are being raised for the world's countries to take action - before it's too late. And threats from the guerrilla movement EMC have led to massive police surveillance of the meeting.

» Published: October 22 2024

Police Protection at Meeting to Save Animals and Nature
Photo: Fernando Vergara

The jubilation at COP15 in Montreal 2022 was palpable when a historic global framework for the Earth's species and ecosystems was adopted.

But two years later, only a tenth of the 196 countries that signed have delivered the promised action plans and financing is far from the $20 billion by 2025 agreed upon to protect nature.

No Time to Wait

This year's meeting is being held in the Colombian city of Cali and gathers around 23,000 delegates, including a hundred ministers from various countries. The guerrilla movement EMC has called for a boycott and warned that the conference "will fail". The meeting opened under massive police protection.

The planet does not have time to wait. We need to strengthen financing, said Colombian Environment Minister Susana Muhamad to the delegates when she opened the meeting.

Already two years ago, time was running out when 23 action goals were agreed upon to be achieved by 2030, for example, to protect 30 percent of land and sea, and to halve food waste.

In a new report, Greenpeace shows that 8.4 percent of the oceans have been designated as marine protected areas. Only 2.7 percent of the areas are fully or largely protected from human activities. If the current pace continues, the goal set for 2030 will be achieved in 2107 – nearly 80 years too late.

Gloomy Figures

WWF recently warned in its Living Planet report that populations of wild vertebrates – from frogs to giraffes – have decreased by 73 percent over 50 years. Several ecosystems are approaching tipping points, which can lead to irreversible changes.

Despite the gloomy figures, there is still hope to turn the trend around – if action is taken.

We have been very successful in reintroducing species and saving species when we have really focused on what makes them disappear, says Linda Krueger from the Nature Conservancy organization.

The UN biodiversity summit, COP16, takes place in Cali, Colombia, from October 21 to November 1.

COP stands for Conference of the Parties and refers to the parties in the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. The number 16 indicates which meeting it is in the series.

Some of the issues to be addressed during COP16 are:

Implementation. All countries should have national implementation plans in place before COP16 or have reported their goals. They are expected to show that their national strategies and action plans for biological diversity are adapted to the framework.

Financing. How will environmental work be financed? Developing countries need economic support to implement the framework.

Fair distribution of benefits. This is one of the main goals in the Convention on Biological Diversity from 1992 and deals with how the benefits of genetic material from plants and animals should be distributed fairly, for example, in the production of medicines and similar.

Biological diversity is the variation that exists within and between species and ecosystems. Simply put – how many living organisms there are.

Biological diversity contributes to functioning ecosystems, which in turn are a prerequisite for us humans to get food on the table, clean water, and fresh air.

The crisis for biological diversity is acute, and researchers warn that the world is heading towards a sixth mass extinction. For example, vertebrate populations have decreased by 70 percent since 1970.

Even in Sweden, several reports have shown a serious situation and negative trend for biological diversity. Currently, more than 4,700 species are red-listed here.

Source: Naturvårdsverket, SLU

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Suspected Bomb Halts Traffic in Malmö Overnight
1 MIN READ

Suspected Bomb Halts Traffic in Malmö Overnight

Hazardous Avalanche Conditions in Kebnekaise and Abisko-Riksgränsen
1 MIN READ

Hazardous Avalanche Conditions in Kebnekaise and Abisko-Riksgränsen

Two Men Arrested for Attempted Murder After Tensta Brawl
1 MIN READ

Two Men Arrested for Attempted Murder After Tensta Brawl

Police Seek Owners of Jewelry Found in Major Skåne Burglary Bust
2 MIN READ

Police Seek Owners of Jewelry Found in Major Skåne Burglary Bust

Record Number of Students Flock to Sweden's Summer Courses
2 MIN READ

Record Number of Students Flock to Sweden's Summer Courses

Police Investigation Finds No Motive in Örebro Massacre
1 MIN READ

Police Investigation Finds No Motive in Örebro Massacre

Young Man Survives Headshot; Multiple Convicted in Salem Shooting
1 MIN READ

Young Man Survives Headshot; Multiple Convicted in Salem Shooting

Sweden Boosts National Land Survey Funding After Data Leak Scandal
1 MIN READ

Sweden Boosts National Land Survey Funding After Data Leak Scandal

Kristersson: US Leak Underscores Current Uncertainty
2 MIN READ

Kristersson: US Leak Underscores Current Uncertainty

Skåne to Cut Over a Billion Kronor in Healthcare Staffing Costs
1 MIN READ

Skåne to Cut Over a Billion Kronor in Healthcare Staffing Costs

Västra Götaland Region Ends Contracts with Three Health Centers
1 MIN READ

Västra Götaland Region Ends Contracts with Three Health Centers

Man Convicted for Harassing Email to Swedish Politician Jan Jönsson
3 MIN READ

Man Convicted for Harassing Email to Swedish Politician Jan Jönsson

Sweden Raises A-Tractor Speed Limit to 45 km/h, Sparking Safety Concerns
3 MIN READ

Sweden Raises A-Tractor Speed Limit to 45 km/h, Sparking Safety Concerns

Discrimination Ombudsman Appeals Hijab Verdict in Uppsala Case
1 MIN READ

Discrimination Ombudsman Appeals Hijab Verdict in Uppsala Case

Fourth Örebro Shooting Victim Discharged from Hospital
1 MIN READ

Fourth Örebro Shooting Victim Discharged from Hospital

Swedish Supreme Court Sets New Guidelines for Sentencing Young Offenders
3 MIN READ

Swedish Supreme Court Sets New Guidelines for Sentencing Young Offenders

Jönköping Water Leak Spurs Repair Delays and New Flood Warnings
2 MIN READ

Jönköping Water Leak Spurs Repair Delays and New Flood Warnings

Police Shoot Armed Man During Karlshamn Operation; Woman Arrested
2 MIN READ

Police Shoot Armed Man During Karlshamn Operation; Woman Arrested

Karlskoga Residents Advised to Boil Water After Overnight Leak
1 MIN READ

Karlskoga Residents Advised to Boil Water After Overnight Leak

Swedes Hold on to 11 Million Unused Phones, Survey Reveals
2 MIN READ

Swedes Hold on to 11 Million Unused Phones, Survey Reveals

EU Agreement Keeps A-Tractor Driving Age at 15 in Sweden
2 MIN READ

EU Agreement Keeps A-Tractor Driving Age at 15 in Sweden

Police Respond to False Alarm at Uppsala School During Staff Drill
1 MIN READ

Police Respond to False Alarm at Uppsala School During Staff Drill

Mysterious Blue Spiral Lights Up Skies Over Sweden and Europe
1 MIN READ

Mysterious Blue Spiral Lights Up Skies Over Sweden and Europe

Man Arrested for Attempted Murder After Woman Found Injured in Norrtälje
1 MIN READ

Man Arrested for Attempted Murder After Woman Found Injured in Norrtälje

Former Swedish Chancellor Prosecuted for Knife Violation in Court
1 MIN READ

Former Swedish Chancellor Prosecuted for Knife Violation in Court

Sweden's Maternity Clinics See Care Improvements After Review
2 MIN READ

Sweden's Maternity Clinics See Care Improvements After Review

Train Service Halted Between Nyköping and Vagnhärad After Power Line Hit
1 MIN READ

Train Service Halted Between Nyköping and Vagnhärad After Power Line Hit

Teen Arrested in Södertälje Murder Investigation
1 MIN READ

Teen Arrested in Södertälje Murder Investigation

Police Target Stockholm Suspects in Darknet Child Abuse Streaming Case
1 MIN READ

Police Target Stockholm Suspects in Darknet Child Abuse Streaming Case

Flooding Hits Jönköping Beauty Salon as Water Surges to Knee Level
2 MIN READ

Flooding Hits Jönköping Beauty Salon as Water Surges to Knee Level

Veterinarian Hospitalized After Euthanization Mishap with Aggressive Dog
1 MIN READ

Veterinarian Hospitalized After Euthanization Mishap with Aggressive Dog

Migration Agency Dismisses Employee After Security Alert
1 MIN READ

Migration Agency Dismisses Employee After Security Alert

Royal Slip Sparks New Name Trend in Sweden
1 MIN READ

Royal Slip Sparks New Name Trend in Sweden

Struggling to Afford Basics: Swedes Turn to Red Cross for Food Aid
4 MIN READ

Struggling to Afford Basics: Swedes Turn to Red Cross for Food Aid

Swedish Teen Found Guilty in Danish Bomb Plot Involving Explosives Transport
1 MIN READ

Swedish Teen Found Guilty in Danish Bomb Plot Involving Explosives Transport

TV4 Cleared by Review Board Over Örebro Shooting Audio Segment
1 MIN READ

TV4 Cleared by Review Board Over Örebro Shooting Audio Segment

Sinkhole and Flooding Risk Disrupt Central Jönköping After Water Leak
2 MIN READ

Sinkhole and Flooding Risk Disrupt Central Jönköping After Water Leak

Arctic Foxes Thrive in Sweden with Lemming Boom
1 MIN READ

Arctic Foxes Thrive in Sweden with Lemming Boom

Västerås Ends Home Care Deal with Attendo; 500 Employees Impacted
1 MIN READ

Västerås Ends Home Care Deal with Attendo; 500 Employees Impacted

Sweden's Defense Buildup on Track Despite European Demand Surge
3 MIN READ

Sweden's Defense Buildup on Track Despite European Demand Surge