The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) on biodiversity in Colombia had significant presence of industry lobbyists at. Despite the summit's aim to protect nature, numerous representatives from the meat, oil, and pesticide industries have registered in record numbers, raising concerns about their influence on the negotiations.

Record Number of Delegates:
1,261 business and industry delegates registered for COP16, a record number that has raised questions about their influence on the negotiations.

Industry Representation:
The meat, oil, and pesticide industries have a strong presence at the summit, with lobbyists from companies like Nestlé, ExxonMobil, and Shell.

Concerns Over Influence:
Environmental groups and activists are concerned that the large number of industry delegates could dominate the agenda and undermine efforts to protect biodiversity.

Criticism of Corporate Influence:
Critics argue that the private sector involvement in the multilateral system is unacceptable and that companies are using side events to promote their sustainability credentials while hiding their harmful operations.

Focus on Voluntary Commitments:
There are fears that a weaker outcome could favor voluntary commitments from businesses, emphasizing high-tech and complex financial instruments to address biodiversity loss, rather than stricter regulations.

Opposition to Proposed Levy:
The International Federation for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations has strongly opposed a proposed 1% levy on profits from accessing genetic information, which was intended to channel income to communities affected by nature loss.

Synthesis:
The high number of industry lobbyists at COP16 has sparked concerns about their influence on biodiversity negotiations. Despite the summit's goals, the presence of representatives from the meat, oil, and pesticide industries threatens to undermine efforts to protect nature. Environmental groups are worried that corporate interests may dominate the agenda, leading to weaker regulations and voluntary commitments that do not adequately address biodiversity loss.

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