This year's CBD COP marks a pivotal moment to address the biodiversity crisis, and as a key player in the fight to maintain the planetary ecosystem, it is a land and the forefront of biodiversity conservation. It highlights the urgent need to include environmental defenders.
Our latest annual Land and Environmental Defenders report shows that Colombia is the world's deadliest country for advocates, with 79 murders reported in 2023, and all cases around the world accounts for 40% of the This is the highest annual toll documented by global witnesses since they began reporting on these killings in 2012.
This year, the Colombian government has a historic opportunity to tackle a crisis that threatens both our climate and our planet's health. By leading change in change, Colombia can enhance the role of environmental defenders and civil society on global platforms like police officers, as outlined by policy positions.
The time for change is now. Please participate in the event during CBD COP16. Promote a human-rights-centered approach to biodiversity behaviour.
Also, don't forget to follow all the coverage of CBD COP16 on social media and sign up for our mailing list.
Gaps that global witnesses led and supported events at CBD COP16: Promoting an effective environment for environmental defenders to advance biodiversity and climate justice
Time: Wednesday, October 23rd, 6pm
Location: Columbia Pavilion, Blue Zone
Languages: Spanish, English, Portuguese
Capacity: 70 people
Speakers include Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur for Environmental Human Rights Advocates under the Aarfs Conference, Fabiola Vite Torres, General Coordinator, Mexico's Centro de Derecos Zefelino Radrilero, Alfred Brownell, CLIDEF president of 2019 Goldman Award recipient, Laura Frons, Senior Advisor to Global Witness.
Organizing/Co-hosts: Alliance for Land, Indigenous and Environmental Defenders (Allied), Ford Foundation, Earthrights International, Global Witness, Goldman Environmental Prize, ILC, UN-ECLAC Escazu Secretariat.
“Silent March”
When: Before the morning, Thursday, October 24th (around 1pm)
Location: Outside the plenary session, snake through the entire blue zone (exact route TBC)
The event includes a brief statement from an Indigenous leader, and peacefully quiet about 50 people holding pictures of environmental defenders who have since been murdered or gone missing. Marching includes.
Organization: Global Witness and Global Justice Ecology Project
Workshop: Co-creation workshop for lead initiatives with land and environmental defenders
Time: Friday, October 25th, 9am
Location: Hotel Dankalton decali (Salon Carlton)
Witnesses from Allied and Global are holding dialogue sessions to discuss key issues regarding the lead initiative. This session will provide an opportunity for Environmental Human Rights Advocates (EHRDS) to provide insight into the overall strategy of leads and how the initiative can do its best towards COP30 and beyond. The discussion also unfolds how this initiative promotes protection, awareness and participation of defenders within multilateral environments and climate spaces.
Organization: Global Witness
Multi-sector Dialogue: Strategies to Protect Environmental Defenders in Latin America
Time: Saturday, October 26th, 9am to 10:30am
Location: Former Menendez Hotel, Avenida Colombia #9-80, Kari
The purpose of this event is to highlight the threats and issues of violations to the human rights of Latin American environmental defenders, based on the leadership of two advocates, Brazil and Colombia. The debate addresses the issue, discusses ways to establish strategies, solutions and commitments with policymakers and key stakeholders from the governments of Colombia and Brazil, addressing and halting this tragedy.
Register your interests here:
https://forms.gle/jvtrvcnhnghlvja37
For more information, please contact us: (Protected Email)
Raíces de Cambio: Cultivando el Acuerdo deescazúnlas nuevas generaciones
At the time: Saturday, October 26th, 2pm to 3pm
Location: Fundación Casa Del Mono, Cali
The purpose of this event is to discuss the importance of children and young people being informed of the Escaz Agreement on the tools Colombia already needs to ensure effective implementation.
Organizing: The life of Pachamama supported by witnesses from around the world
We are parents: Pre-screening panel
Time: Sunday, October 27th, 8pm to 9pm
Location: Laterlia Museum, #5-105 Carrera 1 Austecari, Barre del Cauca 760045 Colombia
Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese
Speakers include Elizangera Elizangeramendonsa, Global Witness, Piathembe, First Secret Secretary of State for the First Secret of Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon Para of Brazil, Ancestors of Indigenous Women Warriors (Anmiga), Thai Parakana, Parakana Community Leader (Brazil), Dos Santos, co-founder of Cloudlith, human rights and environmental activists in the Amazon forests of Brazil, and the women's Earth and Climate Action Network, Lake Osprey Olier
We are holding a screening for We Are Guardians as part of the Ficamazonia Film Exhibition. This is an award-winning documentary in which Amazon's indigenous leaders dodge loggers from invasions of land. Check out the trailer here.
The event will be a short version of the film and panel to show the connection between a large financial center and community experience on the ground. Through direct accounts and opportunities to discuss recent and other research, the first panel highlights the lack of regulations on global financial flows, a driver of under-testing biodiversity losses, while also platforming partners. Provides.
Register your interests here: We will be offering COP16 Special Event Ticket, Sun, October 27, 2024 at 8pm, EventBrite
Organizing: We are parents and global witnesses. Hosted by Ficamazonia and working with Wecan.
Financial Regulation: Prerequisites for GBF Implementation
Time: Monday, October 28th, 7:30am to 8:45am
Location: Banco de Bogotá (Auditorio Principal), Cali
Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese
Speakers include Merrel van der Mark, Forest & Finance, Tarcio Sio Faitosa and/or Taipara Canan, Orayanus, Banktrack, Shonahawks, Ran, Jeff Conan, Friends of Earth, Jeff Conan
In total, only US$200 billion was spent on biodiversity savings or recovery in 2023, causing related environmental damages, causing biodiversity losses and only USD 200 billion spent on biodiversity savings or recovery. (UNEP, 2023). It is clear that the binding commitment to eliminate these harmful financial flows is a prerequisite to reaching the GBF's objective of halting and reversing biodiversity losses by 2030. This panel discusses the key roles of lawmakers, central banks and financial regulators in achieving this.
Register here: Webinar Registration – Zoom (Event #19, 28th)
Organization: Ran and the Forest and Finance Coalition.
Listening Session: “Peace with Nature”: Lessons from Colombian Land and Environmental Defenders
Sunday: Monday, October 28th, 1pm to 3:30pm
Location: Exterior Garden, Nature House, Kari
Language: English and Spanish
Speakers include Atrato Guardians in conversations with invited journalists
This roundtable discussion brings together defenders of land and environment in the Atlat region of Colombia, and from a curated group of global witnesses, Earthlize, Mas Arte Mass Asion and journalists and storytellers, the defenders. Address the urgent challenges you face.
Colombia remains one of the most dangerous countries of environmental activities, where communities like the Atlat Guardians face serious threats while protecting their lands and are recognised as corporations, with Atlat River facing a corporate threat. Masu.
The event offers an important opportunity for journalists to hear explanations directly from these defenders, highlighting daily struggles and victory. Atrato Guardians can also share their messages with global audiences, highlighting the need for strong protection of threatened defenders and ecosystems.
Inspired by Atrato River, the Roundtable features custom-made installations by Fernando Arias, accompanied by Miguel Navas soundscapes, reflecting the nature and voice of defenders that cannot exist physically.
Organizing: Global Witness, Earthrise Studio, Más Arte Más Acción (MAMA), all of the projects.
Promoting an effective environment for environmental human rights advocates that advance biodiversity and climate justice (Blue Zone)
Sunday: Monday, October 28th, 1pm
Location: Blue Zone
Languages: Spanish, English, Portuguese
Format: Streaming and Direct if available
The speakers are: Francia Marquez, Vice President of Colombia, Sonia Guajara, Indigenous Minister of Brazil, Peru's Rainforest Development Association, President Julio Cushlich, 2009 Auxiliary Award, Goldman Award recipient, Non-Murtamas, Environmental Environment Environmental Defense South Africa. Goldman Award winner Jennifer Rasingban, Malaysia's Indigenous Orang Assal and Executive Director of Indigenous Peoples at the Asian Solidarity Fund.
This side event aims to amplify the voices of land and environmental defenders working to deal with the biodiversity and the climate crisis. The event will provide recommendations on how they can advance in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which tell their stories and provide recommendations on how political parties can advance in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which primarily targets targets 22 through a human rights-based approach. Provides a platform for
It also provides space for civil society and environmental human rights advocates to discuss how to share good experiences. Regional solutions will be developed at the national or regional level and take concrete steps to achieve target 22 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
During the event, the Colombian presidency of COP16 will begin the environmental defender pledge. This is a voluntary commitment to the parties to report on target 22 environmental human rights advocates indicators and to adopt measures to support their implementation.
Organization: Global Witness.
We are parents: Movie Screening (Premier)
At the time: October 31st, 7pm to 9pm
Location: Outdoor Area (Garden) in La Tertulia
Full version of Ficaamazonia Premiere and We Are Guardians (Somos Guardianes). The film features indigenous forest guardian Marsal Guajajara and activist Pier Tembe, an illegal logger who has no choice without cutting down the forest, and what A thousand invaders and large landowners of extract mercy followed industry.
Through intimate, character-driven stories, the film brings problems to the forefront. From the science of the Amazon rainforest, to its important role in global climate stability to the economic factors of deforestation. The film brings together politics, history, economics, science and consciousness, providing a detailed exploration of this incredibly complex and important situation. Its origins and influences go far beyond the scope of Amazon itself. The film is directed by Indigenous activists Eddivan Guajahala and filmmakers Chelsea Green and Rob Grobman. Produced by Oscar winner Fisher Stevens.
No need to register – this networking/social event is open to the public.
Details: We are Guardians of COP16 Special Event Tickets. EventBrite
Formation: We are parents. It is hosted by Ficamazonia and supported by global witnesses and Wekan.
