Cop16: the world’s largest meeting to save nature has ended with no clear path ahead

Increasing rights for Indigenous people and local communities was one of the few steps forward at Cop16. Philipp Montenegro, CC BY-NC-ND

Progress at the UN’s biodiversity summit, Cop16, in Cali, Colombia, has been slow. Frustratingly so.

There were high hopes that the Colombian hosts could coordinate action between developed and developing countries towards reaching the landmark global biodiversity agreement reached in Montreal, Canada at Cop15 two years ago. But after two weeks and one long night, negotiations ended abruptly. Many delegates had to leave to catch flights home with key issues unresolved.