Delegates agree to establish Indigenous subsidiary body at COP16 biodiversity summit in Colombia WSOC TV [Video]

CALI, Colombia — (AP) — Delegates came to an agreement late Friday at the United Nations conference on biodiversity to establish a subsidiary body that will include Indigenous peoples in future talks and decisions on nature conservation.

The COP16 summit hosted in Cali, Colombia, was a follow-up to the historic 2022 accord in Montreal, which includes 23 measures to save Earth’s plant and animal life, including putting 30% of the planet and 30% of degraded ecosystems under protection by 2030.

A measure to recognize the importance of the role of people of African descent in the protection of nature was also adopted Friday.

Negotiators struggled to find common ground on some key issues in the final week, but were able to come to a consensus after negotiating late into Friday. Global Indigenous delegations erupted into cheers and tears over the historic decision.

The decision recognizes and protects the traditional knowledge systems of Indigenous peoples and local communities for the benefit of …