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UN chief seeks ‘significant’ funding at biodiversity summit to save nature

Environmental delegates are gathering in Colombia for the two-week United Nations Biodiversity Conference, or Cop16

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Greenpeace activists hang a banner that reads ‘COP 16 Action for Nature’, in Cali, Colombia. Photo: AFP

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday urged “significant investment” in a fund created to safeguard Earth’s biodiversity as he addressed delegates to the world’s biggest nature protection conference in Cali, Colombia.

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The meeting, which officially opens Monday, had a ceremonial start with Cali on high alert after threats from a guerilla group.

Guterres made a video address to guests gathered for the event taking place under the protection of thousands of Colombian police and soldiers, aided by UN and US security personnel.

“We must leave Cali with significant investment in the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), and commitments to mobilise other sources of public and private finance,” the secretary general said.

Attendees watch a video address from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Photo: EPA-EFE
Attendees watch a video address from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Photo: EPA-EFE

The GBFF was created last year to help countries achieve the goals of the so-called Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) adopted in Canada in 2022 with 23 targets to “halt and reverse” the loss of nature by 2030.

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