The sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention on Biological diversity was held from 21 October to 01 November 2024 in Cali, Colombia. Nature Canada participated in COP16, both as a member of Canada’s state delegation at the negotiations, and as a member of the community of citizen environmentalists who gathered in parallel events, to ensure that nature’s voice is heard above the clamour of powerful interests.
We made important progress at COP16, including:
- Creating a permanent mechanism to enable Indigenous peoples to speak for themselves within the treaty
- Integrating UN-level climate action and biodiversity efforts
- Increasing global scientific cooperation
- Mainstreaming biodiversity across critical sectors
- Establishing procedures to identify ecologically and biologically significant marine areas, which will be essential to protecting 30% of oceans by 2030
Canada was one of the few countries that filed an official National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, a roadmap to meeting its commitments under the convention. This plan came into being because Canadians like you stood up for nature, and insisted that our government explain how it would keep the promises it made on our behalf.
Now that Canada has an official Nature Strategy, we need to enforce accountability on the federal government, to ensure that it actually implements that plan.
The Nature Accountability Act: Giving Hope a Chance
Bill C 73, the Nature Accountability Act, is meant to be the mechanism that will hold the federal government accountable for acting on the Nature Strategy. But without amendments to impose meaningful consequences for inaction, the Bill will merely repeat the government’s existing promises, instead of compelling the government to keep its promises.
Akaash Maharaj, Nature Canada’s Director of Policy: a voice for nature at COP16.
A Promise Worth Fighting For
Canada has pledged to protect 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030, to advance Indigenous-led conservation, and to address the “triple threats” of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. These commitments are vital not only for the health of our ecosystems, but also for the very survival of future generations.
Without meaningful accountability, this pledge will fall by the wayside.
Bill C 17 is meant to press goals into enforceable actions. The Bill should create mechanisms to ensure that our government’s progress is measurable, transparent, and enforceable. The Bill must be strengthened to include consequences for failure, otherwise governments are certain to evade the difficult decisions needed for success.
Canadians Have Shown That Our Voices Have Power
As Canadians, we have the power to press our government to lead — not just with words but also with actions. Public pressure drove the federal government to create Canada’s Nature Strategy. Public pressure can now drive the federal government to amend C 73 so that:
- There are consequences of inaction. Currently, the Bill does nothing if the federal government fails to keep its promises.
- There are enforceable nature goals that align with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Currently, the Bill calls on the Minister to publish his or her nature goals, but it has no requirement that those goals meet any particular standard.
All political parties have a responsibility to rise above partisanship and work together to strengthen and pass Bill C 73. Canadians deserve honesty and clarity:
- Where do party leaders stand on the proposed amendments?
- Who will champion this Bill and ensure it is amended and passes before the next election?
Our message is direct: do not let political games put nature at risk.
Take Action for Nature Now!
COP16 was a victory for nature, but the fight is far from over. Contact your representatives today to urge them to:
- Publicly support amendments needed to strengthen Bill C 73.
- Commit to passing the amended Bill C 73 before the next election.
We have made it easy for you to take the first step: click here to send a letter to Canada’s political decision makers, insisting that they commit to the action needed to protect nature through Bill C 73.
Together, we can ensure that the federal government keeps its promises to Canadians, and that Canada keeps our shared promises to nature.
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