Amplifying Southeast Asian Youth Voices: Shaping the Future of Biodiversity Action

12.11.2024

The Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSS) participated in the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 16) held in Cali, Colombia, from October 19 to November 2, 2024. COP16 focused on reviewing and accelerating progress toward the 23 Biodiversity targets, established in Canada two years ago under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). These targets aim at halting the rapid depletion of the Earth’s natural resources by 2030, including the protection of 30 percent of land and marine areas, restoring 30 percent of degraded ecosystems by 2030, reducing pollution, and gradually phasing out subsidies that harm nature. 

HSS brought 3 ASEAN youth leaders from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand to the COP  to ensure that youth voices are considered in the implementation of these targets. The delegates were selected based on their previous outstanding contributions and technical knowledge on biodiversity issues. Their participation in COP 16 was the culmination of a long-term program by HSS, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) which included several rounds of trainings on biodiversity policies, negotiation techniques, as well as advocacy strategies.  

Side Event at COP16

A highlight of the delegation visit was a co-hosted side event with HSS, ACB and GYBN, titled "Partnering with Youth to Achieve the Global Biodiversity Framework." This event underscored the vital role of young leaders in biodiversity conservation efforts. One youth delegate presented findings from a comprehensive mapping of ASEAN youth contributions to biodiversity goals, offering actionable recommendations aligned with the KMGBF targets. This mapping, published through research by HSS, ACB, and GYBN Southeast Asia, highlighted ongoing youth initiatives and identified areas for deeper involvement in biodiversity conservation, urging decision-makers to strengthen youth partnerships in policy processes. The side event ended with the ceremonial signing of an MoU of cooperation between HSS and ACB to enhance civil society's involvement in biodiversity processes and governance across ASEAN, with a strong emphasis on engaging the youth sector meaningfully.

The collaboration with ACB and GYBN highlights that meaningful youth engagement is not only achievable but essential to meeting biodiversity targets. By supporting youth representatives at COP16, HSS reaffirmed its commitment to fostering young leaders in biodiversity, climate diplomacy, and sustainable development. By elevating youth perspectives and creating pathways for ongoing engagement, the collaboration of HSS, ACB and GYBN demonstrated a long-term commitment to empowering young voices in the global biodiversity dialogue.

Outcomes of the UN CBD COP Meeting (COP16) 

COP 16 saw several key adoptions which will advance global biodiversity efforts, such as  

1. Establishment of a Cali Fund

One significant achievement was that the Parties agreed to establish a multilateral mechanism, including a global fund, called of the “Cali Fund” for sharing benefits derived from digital sequence information (DSI), or genetic data, used by biotechnology companies. Under this mechanism, companies that use DSI will now allocate part of their profits to support biodiversity projects in developing countries. Fifty per cent of the fund will be allocated for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). This agreement is intended to equitably distribute benefits while recognizing the valuable contributions of local and traditional knowledge.

2. New Programme of Work on Article 8(j) adopted 

Another major decision was the formation of a permanent advisory body specifically for Indigenous Peoples and people of Afro descendant communities, giving these communities a formal voice in biodiversity governance under Article 8(j). The new Subsidiary Body will enhance the engagement and participation of indigenous people and local communities in all convention processes. 

3. Challenges

While COP16 led to substantial progress, crucial issues regarding financing and monitoring remain unresolved. Delegates were unable to reach a consensus on a new funding mechanism to support biodiversity protection or to finalize a framework for monitoring progress under the KMGBF. These topics will be revisited at future meetings.