COP16: USGBC Heads to Climate Summit in Colombia

The Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16) will be held in Cali, Colombia, from Oct. 21 through Nov. 1.

COP 16 will feature three main areas of focus:

Further developing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (also known as the "Biodiversity Plan") for global implementation;
Collaborating for improved resource mobilization and technical cooperation to invest in nature;
Accelerating progress on access and benefit sharing.

For the first time, USGBC will participate in COP 16 as an accredited observer, engaging with the global community to advance practical solutions for the built environment to reverse biodiversity loss and enhance biodiversity value.

According to our 2023 report, Real Estate and Biodiversity: What You Need to Know, agriculture, extractives and energy, and the built environment and related infrastructure contribute to nearly 80% of global biodiversity loss. The built environment presents a great opportunity to protect, promote and restore biodiversity. USGBC’s presence at COP 16 will highlight the impact we are having through LEED, LEED for Communities, and SITES. We will be releasing several reports and briefs, including:

LEED for Communities in Colombia - 2024 Impact Report (LEED para Comunidades en Colombia - 2024 Informe de Impacto), developed in partnership with Consejo Colombiano de Construcción Sostenible (CCCS);
USGBC Biodiversity and Nature Impact Report;
Biopolis Declaration, with contributions from USGBC;
For more on Biodiversity, click here.

Delegation

USGBC and GBCI will be on-site at COP 16 to showcase the importance of biodiversity for the built environment and USGBC’s tools to preserve biodiversity. The delegation includes Peter Templeton, President and CEO, USGBC and GBCI; Maria Alex Cardona, Head of Business Development Colombia, GBCI Latin America; Elizabeth Beardsley, Senior Policy Counsel, USGBC; Vatsal Bhatt, Vice President, LEED for Communities, USGBC; and Danielle Pieranunzi, SITES Director, GBCI.

USGBC maintains a strong partnership with Consejo Colombiano de Construccion Sostenible (CCCS), whose delegation includes Angelica Ospina, CCCS's Executive Director. (USGBC/GBCI purchase Green-E certified carbon offsets for staff air travel, including travel to COP 16.)

Contact:

For communications requests, please contact Deisy Verdinez, PR and Communications Director, at [email protected]
On-site at COP, please contact Maria Alex Cardona [email protected] or Elizabeth Beardsley at [email protected]