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The operationalization of the multilateral mechanism on DSI, including the Cali Fund, has started Before COP 16 was suspended for absence of quorum, H.E. Susana Muhamad, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia and COP President, gavelled significant decisions into adoption. History was made when Parties adopted decision 16/2 operationalizing the multilateral mechanism on benefit-sharing from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources (DSI), including a global fund named the “Cali Fund”--a tribute to the city where it saw the light of day. A mere six weeks after that historic moment in Cali, the operationalization of the multilateral mechanism has started in earnest. The CBD Secretariat has launched substantive consultations on issues outlined in decision 16/2: possible additional modalities of the multilateral mechanism, including, in the context of paragraph 7 of decision 15/9 and the annex to decision 16/2, to take products and services into account. Parties, other Governments, indigenous peoples and lo... 
Human Rights Day --10 December 2024 Theme: Our rights, Our future, Right Now Today we celebrate the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a pillar of international human rights law. This Declaration remains our common foundation for preserving and promoting human dignity and fundamental freedoms. International Human Rights Day reminds us of the importance of human rights in building more just, prosperous and equitable societies. Human rights and the environment are intrinsically intertwined. Global species loss and degrading ecosystems are among the primary threats to food security, human health and livelihoods, undermining global peace and stability. To respond to these crises, we must establish solid and coherent standards that reflect a diversity of visions, including those of indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth. Though these groups play a crucial role in the conservation of biodiversity, they are often and disproportionally the most affecte... 
Countries to Resume Crucial Biodiversity Discussions in Rome, 25-27 February 2025 The UN Biodiversity Conference, suspended earlier this year in Cali, Colombia, will reconvene from 25-27 February, 2025 in Rome, Italy, at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity today agreed to hold resumed sessions for COP 16 and the concurrent meetings of the Protocols to address agenda items left unresolved following the suspension of the meeting due to loss of quorum in the early hours of 2 November. "In the weeks to come, and during our meeting in Rome this February, I will work alongside Parties to build the trust and consensus needed to achieve Peace with Nature, ensuring that the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) translate into tangible action. Securing adequate and predictable financing will be central to our efforts, enabling transformative change for biodiversity while ensuring benefits for c... 
Astrid Schomaker | Executive Secretary, CBD Secretariat
The United Nations Secretary-General has designated Astrid Schomaker of Germany as Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Ms. Schomaker officially took up her appointment as of 1 July 2024. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Schomaker has work on a variety of issues ranging from bilateral and multilateral relations to chemicals, oceans, and the water industry. Most recently, as Director for Green Diplomacy and Multilateralism with the European Commission in Brussels, she promoted a global transition to resource efficient, low emission, nature-positive circular economies.
Programmes
Thematic
The Conference of the Parties (COP) has established seven thematic programmes of work (listed below) which correspond to some of the major biomes on the planet. Each programme establishes a vision for, and basic principles to guide future work. They also set out key issues for consideration, identify potential outputs, and suggest a timetable and means for achieving these. Implementation of the work programmes depends on contributions from Parties, the Secretariat, relevant intergovernmental and other organizations. Periodically, the COP and the SBSTTA review the state of implementation of the work programmes.
Cross-Cutting
The COP has also initiated work on key matters of relevance to all thematic areas. These cross-cutting issues correspond to the issues addressed in the Convention's substantive provisions in Articles 6-20, and provide bridges and links between the thematic programmes. Some cross cutting initiatives directly support work under thematic programmes, for example, the work on indicators provides information on the status and trends of biodiversity for all biomes. Others develop discrete products quite separate from the thematic programmes.
Clearing-House
Clearing-House Mechanism of the Convention on Biological Diversity
The Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM) contributes to the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity by promoting and facilitating scientific and technical cooperation, knowledge sharing and information exchange, and by establishing a fully operational network of Parties and partners.
Biosafety Clearing-House
The Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH) is a mechanism set up by the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to facilitate the exchange of information on Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) and assist the Parties to better comply with their obligations under the Protocol.
Access and Benefit-Sharing Clearing-House
The Access and Benefit-Sharing Clearing-House (ABSCH) is a platform for exchanging information on ABSCH and a key tool for facilitating the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol.