India, Oct. 21 -- The 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) opened on October 21, 2024, in Colombia's Cali with a ceremonial function. The meeting was opened with the invocation by indigenous peoples and local community members who talked about the importance of biodiversity in their lives.

However, their inclusion is not limited to just the opening ceremony this time. At COP15, Parties had agreed to develop a programme of work to ensure the full involvement of Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLC) in achieving the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). Whatever the decision, it is clear that indigenous peoples and local communities must play a centra...