UN biodiversity conference opens in Colombia's Cali

Global leaders and environmental experts gathered in Cali, Colombia, on Sunday for the opening ceremony of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, a 12-day meeting aimed at advancing biodiversity conservation.

The meeting, which begins on Monday and runs through November 1, brings together more than 15,000 people from over 190 countries to push for action on biodiversity conservation, making it the most attended event of its kind since these conferences began in 1994, UN officials said.

The Colombian government, as the host, is pushing for this meeting to be the most inclusive in its history.

The goal of this meeting is for countries to take action to protect the world's flora and fauna, as experts warn that the extinction of species could begin to accelerate at an alarming rate due to climate crisis, deforestation and pollution.

To change or stop these threats against nature, COP16 this year seeks to engage a wider spectrum of society in discussions, such as indigenous groups and other communities that live in biodiversity hotspots, hoping that increased participation will translate into tangible conservation efforts.

The conference will also scrutinize past agreements, such as the Kunming-Montreal pact signed during the previous summit in Canada two years ago to address biodiversity loss and the restoration of ecosystems, as the vast majority of the 196 parties who signed that pact have yet to follow through with concrete action plans.

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro attended Sunday's opening ceremony, as did a delegation from China. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the gathering by video link.

Beyond opening remarks by high-level officials, attendees also took in artistic presentations meant to stir deeper consciousness of the human relationship with and dependence on the natural world.

Expectations are high for societal sectors to actively participate in wildlife and plant conservation, aligning with the COP16 theme of "Peace with Nature".

UN biodiversity conference opens in Colombia's Cali

UN biodiversity conference opens in Colombia's Cali

China's top diplomat Wang Yi on Tuesday emphasized the importance of upholding international rules, saying that the conflict between the United States and Iran, which has lasted for over a hundred days, has severely impacted the regional and international situation.

Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, made the remarks during the 16th Meeting of BRICS National Security Advisors and High Representatives on National Security held in New Delhi, India.

He said that the recent signing of the first phase of the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, along with the conflict, has made many things clear to us.

The first is the importance of upholding international rules, Wang said at Tuesday's conference.

"The settlement of any international and regional hotspot issues should be based on abiding by international rules. The law of the jungle may succeed for a while, but it is not sustainable," he said.

The second is the importance of respecting national sovereignty, Wang said, adding that territorial integrity shall not be violated and a country's internal affairs shall not be interfered with. This is the most basic bottom line of international justice, he noted.

The third point is the importance of establishing a new vision of security, Wang said.

"Countries are increasingly becoming a community with a shared future. The practice of seeking absolute security of oneself at the expense of others will only backfire," he said.

The Chinese top diplomat said that the fourth is to understand the significance of new forms of war. Unconventional warfare, such as information warfare and cyber warfare, has become more visible in recent conflicts. Facing interwoven traditional and non-traditional security threats, it is the right time for BRICS countries to enhance dialogue and cooperation on security affairs.

China's top diplomat stresses int'l rules at BRICS meeting