COP16 Strengthens Biodiversity Monitoring and Funding Mechanisms, Launches Cali Fund

[Rome, February 28, 2025] At the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16), governments reached a consensus on the Planning, Monitoring, Reporting, and Review (PMRR) Mechanism to enhance responsibility and transparency in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).

Parties refined the monitoring framework established at COP15 and agreed on indicators to measure global and national progress, ensuring all countries use a standardized system for reporting biodiversity conservation efforts. The conference also determined that the Global Stocktake at COP17 will review the implementation of KMGBF, incorporating commitments from youth, women, Indigenous peoples, civil society, the private sector, and subnational governments.

Additionally, the Cali Fund was officially launched to facilitate the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources. Established on February 26 during COP16, the fund requires companies using natural genetic resource data to contribute a portion of their revenue or profits. At least 50% of the fund’s resources will be allocated to Indigenous peoples and local communities, recognizing their crucial role in biodiversity conservation.

The conference also confirmed the Multi-Year Programme of Work (MYPOW) for COP17, strengthened cooperation with Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and other organizations, and agreed on the appointment of the Executive Secretary. Additionally, Parties endorsed COP16/2, clarifying the operational structure for the multilateral mechanism on DSI benefit-sharing.

These decisions align with guidance to the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which approved over $3 billion for KMGBF implementation between June 2022 and December 2024, leveraging over $22 billion in co-financing, including $1.9 billion from the private sector. GEF also administers the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), established following COP15.

The outcomes of COP16 will further enhance biodiversity monitoring, funding mobilization, and policy implementation, strengthening global biodiversity protection efforts.