In Colombia, the U.N. biodiversity summit known as COP16 ended without a much sought-after agreement on funding by wealthy countries. Greenpeace International said, “The world has lost 5% to 10% of all insect species in the last 150 years. There will be no way out of this terrifying biodiversity crisis if Global North countries continue to put money above life on our planet.” Negotiators from smaller countries said they had to abandon talks after they stretched past the official end of the summit because they could not afford to change their flight plans.

But some good news emerged from the summit, as well, including a measure establishing a permanent Indigenous consulting body at the U.N. to weigh in on conservation issues.

Camila Paz Romero: “This is an unprecedented event in the history of multilateral agreements on the environment. The Indigenous groups and the local communities of the world are connected through our knowledge systems on how to take care of life and biodiversity. Let’s remember the long way we have advanced with this agreement. This new subsidiary organ is an example for the rest of the world. In it, the different parties recognize the constant need for our complete and effective participation.”

Environmentalists also welcomed progress on the Global Oceans Treaty, which groups hope will be ratified by June 2025, as well as a new measure for drug companies to share profits from products based on genetic data derived from nature.