"China Pavilion" Activities on COP16 Officially Opened 

 

On local time October 21st. The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the 11th Conference of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and the 5th Conference of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol opened in Cali, Colombia. Huang Runqiu, the President of the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) and Minister of Ecology and Environment, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech, officially handing over the presidency duties to Mohammed, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia.

 

Image source: Ministry of Ecology and Environment

 

As the first Conference of the Parties following the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Framework, COP16 will jointly review the progress in the implementation of the Framework, diagnose potential issues and challenges, propose forward-looking solutions, and draw a clearer and feasible action blueprint for the achievement of subsequent goals.

As an important part of the conference, the opening ceremony of the "China Pavilion" activities was held concurrently, attracting the attention of global delegates. During the conference, the "China Pavilion" will respond to the theme of COP16 "Living in Harmony with Nature" by hosting a variety of promotional activities such as exhibitions, side events, seminars, and interactive exchanges. These activities aim to deeply promote the concept of ecological civilization and China's philosophy on biodiversity conservation, introduce the achievements made in building a beautiful China where "humans and nature coexist harmoniously," and showcase the progress made in implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity. They also aim to further raise awareness of biodiversity conservation among all sectors of society and mobilize broader forces to join the cause of biodiversity conservation. The "China Pavilion" series of events are organized by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, with more than ten units including the Environmental Planning Institute of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment co-organizing.

The opening ceremony of "China Pavilion" was held on October 21, 2024, Colombia time, at the "China Pavilion" exhibition hall, with a simultaneous online live broadcast. The opening ceremony of "China Pavilion" invited Minister Huang Runqiu of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat, former Executive Secretary Braulio Dias of the CBD Secretariat, María Teresa Becerra, representative of the Colombian COP16 Presidency, and Stewart Maginnis, Deputy Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), among other leading guests to deliver speeches. The opening ceremony of "China Pavilion" was presided over by Director Zhang Yujun of the Department of Nature and Ecology Conservation, attracting hundreds of attendees on-site.

 

Minister Huang Runqiu delivered a speech, pointing out that as one of the major countries for biodiversity, we actively promote the construction of ecological civilization and the protection of biodiversity, take the initiative to bear the responsibilities of a major country, and demonstrate the commitment of a major country. This contributes Chinese experience and strength to building a community of life on Earth and promoting global sustainable development. He shared Chinese experiences from two aspects: comprehensively strengthening the modernization of biodiversity governance capabilities and leading the implementation of the "Kunming Framework." Minister Huang Runqiu emphasized that the "China Pavilion" is an important window for us to showcase to the world how biodiversity protection promotes the construction of a beautiful China. It is also a platform for sharing experiences and cooperative exchanges. He called on all contracting parties, as well as international organizations, the private sector, financial institutions, indigenous peoples and local communities, women, and youth, and all other stakeholders, to engage in exchanges and cooperation at the "China Pavilion." Together, they can contribute wisdom and strength to the implementation of the "Kunming Framework" and the construction of a beautiful home where humans and nature coexist harmoniously.

 

Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu

 

The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, Astrid Schomaker, congratulated the opening of the "China Pavilion" and thanked China for its outstanding contributions to global biodiversity conservation and the sustainable development agenda during COP15. She highly affirmed the work on the Kunming Declaration and the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, and looked forward to new progress in China's practices of protecting and restoring biodiversity, contributing to ensuring a sustainable future for humanity.

 

The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, Astrid Schomaker

 

The former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat, Braulio Dias, highly affirms China's role in promoting the global environmental agenda, especially in the construction of ecological civilization and the field of biodiversity. He looks forward to leveraging the opportunity of COP16 to enhance exchanges and cooperation, learn from each other's beneficial experiences, jointly address the threat of biodiversity loss, and collectively promote the achievement of the Kunming Framework's "3030 goals."

 

The former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat, Braulio Dias

 

The representative of the Colombian COP16 Presidency, María Teresa Becerra, expressed great appreciation for the leadership and execution demonstrated by China during its tenure as the presiding country. The cooperation between China and Colombia in the fields of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development has been continuously deepening, which is not only reflected at the policy level but also in the mutual understanding and support between the peoples of the two countries. The Colombian side values this partnership and looks forward to more opportunities for cooperation in the future.

 

The representative of the Colombian COP16 Presidency, María Teresa Becerra

 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Deputy Director General Stewart Maginnis has affirmed and congratulated China on its leadership role during the COP15 presidency, particularly the effective progress in the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, and as the first developing country to publish and implement a national biodiversity conservation strategy and action plan. IUCN will continue to support China's biodiversity conservation with a strong partnership.

 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Deputy Director General, Stewart Maginnis 

 

Finally, the President of the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP), LU Jun, who is the organizer of the "China Pavilion," spoke and expressed gratitude to the attending leaders and guests for their support of the work of CAEP. He introduced the key work and achievements of CAEP in the field of biodiversity conservation research and practice. He hopes to use the "China Pavilion" platform to carry out in-depth exchanges and cooperation with more international partners, jointly explore how to achieve synergy between conservation and development on a global scale, better address global threats such as climate change and biodiversity loss, and promote the achievement of sustainable development goals.

 

The President of the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, LU Jun

 

In the coming days, the "China Pavilion" will host a variety of activities such as parallel side events, thematic seminars, and thematic exhibitions, showcasing China's new achievements and technologies in the field of biodiversity conservation. These events will also enhance interaction and communication with representatives from all sides, injecting new vitality and momentum into the global cause of biodiversity conservation.