Our Village and the Entertainment + Culture Pavilion joined forces to put culture on the map at the UN Biodiversity Summit—an event that made history but left critical questions unanswered.
COP16 Cali overperformed and underdelivered
In 1992, governments gathered in Rio de Janeiro to address the intertwined crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and desertification. The result was the establishment of three landmark treaties: the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)—collectively known as the Rio Conventions. Yet, more than three decades later, these frameworks are still delivering limited tangible progress and siloed in their efforts.
In October 2024, CBD COP16 took place in Cali, Colombia, a country recognized as the third most biodiverse in the world. Under the slogan “Peace with Nature,” the summit made history as the largest UN biodiversity gathering to date, drawing 23,000 official delegates and attracting over one million visitors to its public Green Zone. The palpable energy in Cali—reflected in a decentralized, citywide network of events—stood in stark contrast to the subdued anticipation for COP29 in Baku. Many Latin American advocates even opted to forgo the UN Climate Change negotiations altogether, choosing instead to focus on biodiversity efforts ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, in 2025.
Colombia’s leadership, under Environment Minister and COP16 President Susana Muhamad, set an ambitious agenda. The summit aimed to define financing, implementation, and reporting mechanisms for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), adopted at COP15 in 2022. However, the results in Cali were mixed, exposing the persistent geopolitical and financial roadblocks to addressing biodiversity loss.
On one hand, COP16 made historic strides in recognizing Indigenous Peoples, Black, and local communities (IPLCs). A new permanent subsidiary body under Article 8(j) was established, formally acknowledging the need to respect, preserve, and equitably share the benefits of traditional knowledge. The summit also reached a breakthrough in the long-contested issue of Digital Sequence Information (DSI), agreeing to create the Cali Fund—a mechanism to channel profits from genetic resource use into developing countries and IPLCs.
The results in Cali were mixed, exposing the persistent geopolitical and financial roadblocks to addressing biodiversity loss.
However, despite these wins, COP16 ended without a ratified final agreement. Delegates left Cali without resolving one of the most pressing questions: who controls biodiversity funding, and who pays? The $200 billion per year target for biodiversity financing by 2030, set at COP15, remains unresolved. With no consensus on funding mechanisms, negotiations opted to reconvene in Rome in February of 2025 to attempt a resolution.
Culture at COP16: from side event to center stage
Cali, the cultural and economic hub of Colombia’s Pacific region, is a city where ancestral traditions meet modernity. Known as the world capital of salsa and home to the renowned Petronio Álvarez Pacific Music Festival, it provided the perfect backdrop for a biodiversity summit where culture played a central role.
Outside of the Blue Zone negotiations, which were held outside the city in a remote convention center, COP16 thrived on decentralized programming. Across Cali, cultural events—from concerts and artisan markets to film screenings and fashion shows—became key spaces for dialogues about biodiversity and climate action. Community-led initiatives transformed the summit into a participatory experience, connecting diverse movements and making COP16 feel like a “People’s COP”.
Among the most dynamic places-to-be at COP16 was Our Village’s Entertainment + Culture Pavilion, held at Fundación Casa de Mono. Created in partnership with Entertainment + Culture Pavilion (E+C), If Not Us Then Who?, FINCALI (Cali Environmental Film Festival), PlanetON (Bogotá International Environmental Film Festival), and Saunter, the five-day program ran from October 22–26, featuring over 70 events, 300 speakers, and 1,500 attendees from across the world.
The Our Village E+C Pavilion became a gathering space for storytelling, dialogue, and creative expression, covering themes such as intergenerational wisdom, intersectional environmentalism, and the road to COP30. It also marked the 10th anniversary of Our Village, a global event series uniting Indigenous and Afro-descendant leaders, artists, activists, and decision-makers at biodiversity and climate COPs.
“COP16 and our partnership with the Entertainment + Culture Pavilion allowed us to build new connections with international and regional groups we might not have met otherwise.” explains Lorena Tavera, director of FINCALI and longtime environmental advocate and Cali resident.
Culture was not just a tool for engagement—it was a strategy for climate action.
The program transformed Casa de Mono into an epicenter of radical joy and interdisciplinary collaboration. From interactive workshops to film screenings, panel discussions, fashion shows and live music performances, culture was not just a tool for engagement—it was a strategy for climate action.
“Our Village E+C Pavilion provided us with a platform to showcase our streaming service, Pantalla Verde, to new communities and bring films from our collection to the UN Biodiversity stage. Most importantly, it created an open space for our local neighbors to engage with COP16—helping them understand what the summit was about and how they could take climate action. Despite the influx of international visitors and media attention, for many in the city, these global conversations can feel distant. This space helped bridge that gap.” adds Lorena, who is now planning the 6th edition of FINCALI, the largest environmental film festival in Cali.
Beyond cultural exchanges, the Our Village E+C Pavilion also fostered capacity-building initiatives. If Not Us Then Who? hosted a 3-day residency for Indigenous filmmakers and photographers, culminating in a retreat with workshops, panels, and roundtable discussions. Additionally, the Cali Secretary of Culture provided certifications for local creative industry professionals who completed a four-day training on green production, climate storytelling, and social impact organized by the Entertainment + Culture Pavilion, FINCALI and PlanetOn. This marked the first time such certifications were offered in Cali, free of charge.
Kalpana Arias is a technologist, guerrilla gardener, nature rights activist, and the founder of Nowadays, a social enterprise advocating for urban nature. At COP16, she launched GLITCH, a cyber gardening tool designed to make gardening accessible to all, fostering pockets of nature and food in streets and neighborhoods.
“As a climate activist from Colombia, I’m rooting for people, the planet, and nature. Participating in COP16 and collaborating with the Our Village Entertainment + Culture Pavilion was incredibly meaningful. Our panel and workshop brought together gardeners, designers, policymakers, and campaigners—all united in building a better world. Surrounded by so many like-minded individuals from across the globe, we explored how technology for nature and urban growing can empower communities to create their own planet-fixing solutions,” explains Kalpana.
These experiences and programs highlight how culture at COP16 was not just present—it was a catalyst for action, advocacy, and accessibility.
A “happy ending” for COP16 in Rome?
By the time Parties reconvened in Rome in February 2025, the geopolitical landscape had shifted dramatically. The lack of a strong climate finance agreement at COP29 in Baku had already cast doubt on biodiversity funding commitments.
However, governments in Rome finally reached consensus on a plan to mobilize $200 billion per year for nature by 2030. While the details—how to shift subsidies, unlock private finance, and mainstream biodiversity into public budgets—still require work, the agreement set a new precedent for integrating biodiversity into global financial systems. For instance, the adoption of mechanisms such as green bonds, biodiversity offsets, and credits aims to create new revenue streams for conservation efforts, making it financially viable for businesses to support biodiversity initiatives.
Yet, fundamental questions remain unanswered: Who owns the biodiversity bank account? Who pays? Without clarity on these mechanisms, COP16’s landmark financial commitments still face an uncertain path to implementation.
As the world looks toward COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the growing role of civil society, the private sector, and cultural practitioners in biodiversity governance cannot be ignored.
COP16 showcased how culture is no longer a side event—it is a central force in global environmental action. The Our Village Entertainment + Culture Pavilion proved that a dedicated space for culture and the creative industries can mobilize communities, spark collaboration, and shift narratives around biodiversity loss.
But will these cultural interventions lead to structural change?
As biodiversity finance negotiations continue, one thing is clear: the most transformative work is happening beyond the negotiating tables—within the communities, artists, and activists who are reimagining the future of conservation.