With potentially half of all animal species facing extinction, a significant United Nations meeting on biodiversity this week may offer vital solutions for preserving the planet’s rich natural heritage.

The U.N. biodiversity conference began on Monday in Cali, Colombia, and will continue until November 1. Here’s what you need to know:

What is COP16?

The names assigned by the U.N. for these conferences can be quite perplexing. This event is officially referred to as the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, or COP 16 for short, since this marks its sixteenth gathering.

COP stands for Conference of the Parties, which involves all 196 nations that have agreed to the U.N.’s Convention on Biological Diversity. Established in 1993, the convention’s mission is to safeguard the world’s biological diversity by motivating countries to take meaningful actions.

These conferences are held every two years.

Why is COP 16 significant?

During the last biodiversity conference in Montreal in 2022, a groundbreaking agreement was reached, committing to protect 30% of the most crucial land and water areas for biodiversity by 2030. Known as “30 by 30,” this initiative aims to halt the degradation of vital ecosystems, backed by a promise from participating governments to provide $200 billion for this effort.

At this week’s gathering in Colombia, governments are expected to share progress on their efforts to achieve this target and engage in discussions about securing additional funding for these initiatives.

Why does biodiversity matter?

Ecosystems are interconnected. To sustain species like wolves, it’s essential to also protect their prey and other animals within the habitat, such as elk, deer, and various smaller creatures. The extinction of any single species can trigger a chain reaction that disrupts the entire ecosystem.

Such disruptions can have unexpected consequences for humans. For instance, passenger pigeons became extinct in the 1890s due to habitat destruction from farming and excessive hunting. This loss impacted American hardwood forests’ composition since these pigeons played a crucial role in seed dispersal.

Additionally, species may hold unknown importance for humans, serving as potential sources for medical treatments, food, or playing a vital role in ecological networks that we do not yet fully comprehend.

What is the connection between COP 16 and COP 28?

This is where the U.N.’s naming conventions can be confusing.

COP 28 refers to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Conference of the Parties, which includes countries that have agreed to the climate change accord. There are 198 participating nations in that convention.

This conference is recognized for leading to the Paris Agreement in 2016, a legally binding international treaty that aims to limit global temperature increases to 2°C above pre-industrial levels (approximately 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

COP 28 occurred last year in the United Arab Emirates, and the next meeting is scheduled for next month in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The inaugural COP meeting took place in 1995 in Berlin. The numbering can be somewhat misleading since COP 26 was delayed by a year due to COVID-19. The term COP is pronounced cop (similar to police).