Cali, Colombia (October 22, 2024) - The COP16 of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is currently taking place in Cali, Colombia. 

NordGen staff are there to partake in discussions on how to halt the global loss of biodiversity. One of the points raised by NordGen is that genebanks are important instruments for the implementation of the recently adopted Global Biodiversity Framework.

The last time the CBD parties convened under COP15, a unique and ambitious agreement for halting the loss of biodiversity was adopted. The Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) has four overarching goals and 23 targets. The first overarching goal states that genetic diversity within populations of domesticated species needs to be maintained, safeguarding their adaptive potential. That is the very core of what NordGen and other genebanks work with.

“I’m pleased that we are represented at this forum. Now, it is time for the world’s countries to show how they will implement the GBF, and we are here to raise awareness about the Nordic approach to the conservation and utilization of genetic resources,” says Lise Lykke Steffensen, Executive Director of NordGen. “Genetic diversity is an important component of biological diversity and the basis for agricultural development—in other words, the food we will eat in the future.”

Side Events and Networking

In high competition, NordGen was granted an official side event on the role of genebanks in the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework. In collaboration with Crop Trust, the Norwegian Ministry for Agriculture and Food, Alliance Bioversity & CIAT, and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), NordGen presented what genebanks do and why their research on genetic resources is so important.

“This side event really underlines the possibilities connected to the sustainable use of genetic resources and the urgency of conserving the genetic diversity still left,” says Stefan Schmitz, Executive Director of Crop Trust, an international organization working to conserve crop diversity and one of NordGen’s partners in operating the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. “There is still time to create momentum around these issues, but we need to act now.”

During the side event, it was also mentioned that genebanks and the collections they conserve are at risk during wars, conflicts, and natural disasters.

“For example, the Ukrainian genebank has a collection that is important for the entire world. Through a task force with NordGen, Crop Trust, and FAO, we managed to duplicate and move some of the collections to a safer part of the country. Following this, an emergency reserve for genebanks in crises has been established to support national and international genebanks that contribute to the Treaty’s Multilateral System. More and more genebanks are in need of support,” said Álvaro Toledo, Deputy Secretary of the ITPGRFA, at the side event.

Access and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources

One of the agenda points that is expected to take up much of the delegates’ time during COP16 is the issue of digital sequence information (DSI). The CBD states that all countries have ownership of the genetic resources in their territory. However, as technology advances, data connected to biodiversity could be just as valuable as the actual seeds, plants, and animals. How should the prosperity derived from this information be accessed and shared justly?

“The Nordic countries adopted a ministerial declaration on this topic just a few months ago. It states that in the Nordic countries, data as well as genetic material is open access — for the benefit of research and agricultural development. But many other countries have a different perspective on the matter. It will be an interesting week,” concludes Lise Lykke Steffensen.