COP16 Biodiversity Talks Resume Amid Legal Challenges for Farmers and Extreme Weather Impacts on Agriculture

We present a curated overview of significant developments at the intersection of climate, land, food, and nature over the past fortnight. This is an online version of Carbon Brief’s biweekly Cropped email newsletter. You can subscribe for free here.

Key Developments

COP16 Resumes in Rome
The UN biodiversity summit, COP16, resumed yesterday in Rome after countries were unable to reach consensus on several critical issues during the previous talks in Cali, Colombia. The current discussions will focus on securing financial resources and establishing a robust system to monitor biodiversity commitments, according to DownToEarth. Devex noted that the Rome meeting lacks the grandeur of the Colombian talks. On the first day of the resumed discussions, the Cali fund aimed at sharing benefits from genetic data—considered one of the significant achievements from the Colombia talks—was officially launched.

Deforestation Rising
COP16 president and former Colombian environment minister Susana Muhamad revealed that deforestation in Colombia surged by 35% in 2024 compared to 2023. Climate Home News attributed this increase primarily to organized crime rather than rural communities, particularly in the Amazon region. Despite this rise, the deforestation rate for 2024 remains the second lowest in the last 23 years, following last year’s record low.

Biodiversity Plans Fall Short
A joint investigation by Carbon Brief and the Guardian revealed that among the 137 countries that submitted updated biodiversity plans to the UN by February 21, fewer than half committed to protecting 30% of their land and sea by 2030. This “30 by 30” target is a key goal of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, established at COP15 in Montreal. In response, several countries indicated that they are still finalizing their targets. Indonesia emphasized that the target is intended to be global, without specific contributions mandated for each nation. Brian O’Donnell, director of Campaign for Nature, expressed concern, stating: “This is troubling and action must be taken to put the world on track.”

Extreme Weather Driving Up Food Prices

Mapping Damages
Carbon Brief released an interactive map illustrating the impacts of extreme weather on global crops in 2023 and 2024. The analysis identified 100 instances worldwide where crops were damaged or destroyed due to heat, drought, wildfires, or other extreme weather events. The findings indicated that Europe, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa were most affected by flooding, while Asia, Europe, and Latin America experienced the highest frequency of droughts.

Significant Impact Expected
According to analyses covered by the Guardian, extreme weather is anticipated to increase food prices throughout 2025. The research indicated a long-term trend of more extreme weather events adversely affecting regional crop yields, leading to price spikes. Among the crops studied, coffee and cocoa experienced the highest price surges last year due to increased rainfall and temperatures. Additionally, a report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization highlighted that rising temperatures, along with frequent droughts and floods in Latin America and the Caribbean, are causing crop and livestock losses, disrupting supply chains, and impoverishing farmers. Such adverse events occur in 74% of the countries in the region.

Towards COP30
India’s wheat production has been declining over the past three years due to rising temperatures, particularly in its northwestern regions, which have experienced temperature increases of 2-6°C above normal, according to the New Indian Express. In Brazil, food and beverage inflation reached nearly 7.7% last year, influenced by climate change impacts, as noted on COP30’s official webpage. Guilherme Mello, secretary of economic policy at Brazil’s finance ministry, emphasized the need for adequate tools to ensure food and water security.

Spotlight: Biodiversity Banking on a Breakthrough

This week, Carbon Brief explored the history and future of the push for a new biodiversity fund as COP16 restarts in Rome. The pursuit of a new biodiversity fund—championed by “megadiverse” countries—has evolved significantly over the past four years. The proposal made in Nairobi ultimately failed to result in a dedicated fund at COP15, which instead established an interim fund operational only until 2030. This fund mandates that wealthy nations contribute $20 billion annually by 2025 and $30 billion by 2030 towards biodiversity finance, amidst a widening gap in nature funding estimated at $700 billion per year. With only $250 million raised in the interim fund and accusations against developed nations for not fulfilling their obligations, Zimbabwe reignited support for the fund on the very first day in Cali.

In light of prior setbacks at COP29 in Baku, the talks in Rome are crucial. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the urgency of reaching an agreement on biodiversity finance commitments. He stated: “We share nature and we depend on nature. Multilateralism is our only hope.” The Rome discussions have seen countries reiterating their previous arguments, even though the $30 billion goal is significantly less than the $300 billion climate finance target. Developed nations seek to expand the list of biodiversity finance donors to include countries like China and Russia, as well as private sources such as biodiversity credits. In contrast, developing nations insist on not leaving Rome without a new fund or allowing countries to evade their historical financial responsibilities.

Muhamad aims for a compromise roadmap that will facilitate progress in reforming biodiversity finance. Nonetheless, she cautioned, “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed,” including a robust monitoring framework contingent upon a strong financial outcome. A delegate from Panama emphasized that biodiversity financing beyond 2030 must adequately reflect the urgency of the biodiversity crisis, stating: “This is a matter of survival for ecosystems, economy, and humanity. We cannot repeat the failures of climate finance. The Rome talks must yield more than mere words; they must deliver funding.”

News and Views

US Agriculture Department Chaos
Organic farmers have filed a lawsuit against the US agriculture department for removing climate-related information from its website. The missing content included essential datasets, interactive tools, and funding information crucial for farmers and researchers. The department also imposed a funding freeze on climate and conservation programs, although some restrictions have recently been lifted.

River Restrictions in Norway
Norway’s parliament has approved a bill to allow hydropower plants in previously protected rivers, impacting nearly 400 waterways. The Guardian reported that while companies will still face strict assessments before obtaining permits, some parliament members view this legislation as a historic threat to Norwegian nature. Norway’s hydropower infrastructure is recognized for contributing to one of the cleanest electricity grids worldwide.

Congo Corridor Concerns
Plans to establish the “world’s largest protected area” in the Democratic Republic of Congo have not included the approval of Indigenous peoples and local communities. President Felix Tshisekedi announced the creation of a 2,600km-long “green corridor” in the Congo basin forest, but Indigenous groups have expressed concerns about the lack of consultation and potential impacts on their land.

EU Sustainability Reporting
The European Commission is considering reducing the number of companies subjected to sustainability reporting requirements and delaying a critical due diligence law that would require businesses to address environmental and human rights issues within their supply chains. Environmental campaigners criticized the EU’s new agricultural strategy for neglecting essential green proposals, including necessary increases in environmental payments.

Tension Over Corn
Mexico has lifted its ban on genetically modified corn imports from the US, following a ruling under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador had prohibited GM corn in 2020, but a recent ruling led the current administration to approve its use for human consumption and rescind plans to ban it for animal feed.

Watch, Read, Listen

Payback Time
The Straits Times’s Green Pulse podcast features Dr. Siva Thambisetty, who was involved in negotiations for the recently established Cali Fund.

Sea Treasures
A BBC Earth video showcases the “top five whale scenes,” highlighting their feeding techniques and ongoing challenges.

Banana Boom
Mekong Eye explores how increasing demand for bananas is causing significant soil depletion in Laos.

Keeping Chaparral Alive
NPR discusses the vital role of California’s native chaparral brush and how its removal does not reduce wildfire risk.

New Science

Research published in Bird Study found that solar farms support greater numbers and diversity of birds compared to traditional farmland. The study of six solar farms in the UK suggests that managing these areas with biodiversity in mind could enhance these benefits.

A study from Environmental Research Letters revealed that UK peatland fires emitted approximately 800,000 tonnes of carbon between 2001 and 2021. Researchers concluded that a 2°C rise in temperatures could boost peatland fire emissions by over 60%.

Another study published in Nature Food indicates that 1.2 billion people worldwide rely on imported nitrogen fertilizers for food production. Authors propose a shift towards smaller-scale ammonia production to enhance food security and agricultural sustainability.

In the Diary

• 24-28 February: 62nd Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change | Hangzhou, China
• 25-27 February: Resumed session of COP16 | Rome
• 26 February: UK Climate Change Committee’s seventh carbon budget advice published | London
• 26-28 February: Finance in Common Summit | Cape Town, South Africa
• 3 March: World Wildlife Day
• 5-7 March: World Sustainable Development Summit 2025 | New Delhi

Cropped is researched and written by Dr. Giuliana Viglione, Aruna Chandrasekhar, Daisy Dunne, Orla Dwyer, and Yanine Quiroz. Please send tips and feedback to [email protected]