Igarapé Institute will be actively engaged at Biodiversity COP 16 in Cali, closely following negotiations and leading several side events. The Institute’s main goals are to advance its agendas on nature financing, regional cooperation to combat environmental crimes, and connecting the climate and biodiversity agendas. These efforts are aligned with key upcoming global milestones, including the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and the upcoming climate COPs in Baku and Belém.

 

With three flagship events and participation as speakers in at least eight others, the Institute will lead discussions on critical topics, including the expansion of territorial resilience and bioeconomy financing mechanisms – such as biodiversity credits, Amazon Bonds, TFFF, and others. Additionally, the strengthening of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) will be addressed to combat environmental crimes and illegal gold mining in the Amazon, advocating for greener drug policies and synchronizing biodiversity with climate action.

OUR AGENDA

Acceda a nuestra agenda en español

Strengthening Regional Cooperation to Tackle Environmental and Related Crimes in the Amazon Basin

 

Date: Monday, October 21

Time: 10:15 – 11:00 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: Amazonia Forever Pavilion IDB/ACTO (Blue Zone)

Organizer: Igarapé Institute

Speakers: 

  • Melina Risso, Researcher Director, Igarapé Institute
  • General William Castaño, General Director, Directorate of Carabineers and Environmental Protection of the National Police of Colombia (DICAR)
  • Mauro Ruffino, Coordinator of the Amazon Regional Observatory (ORA), ACTO
  • Carlos Salinas, Environment Coordinator of the Permanent Secretariat of the Organization of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (SP/OTCA)                            
  • Humberto Freire, Director of the Amazon and Environment Department (DAMAZ), Federal Police

Participation: 

On-site: Open to the audience with credentials for the Blue Zone

Towards a Greener Drug Policy: Reducing the Environmental Impacts of Drug Trafficking Through the Transition to the Legal Economy

 

Date: Monday, October 21

Time: 16:00 – 18:00 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: Peace Sector (Green Zone)

Organizer: Directorate of Drug Policy and Related Activities of Ministry of Justice of Colombia

Speakers: 

  • Melina Risso, Research Director, Igarapé Institute
  • Alexander Rivera, Director of Drug Policy and Related Activities, Ministry of Justice of Colombia
  • Luis Felipe Cruz, Researcher, Dejusticia’s Drug Policy research group
  • Juan Carlos Garzón, Expert and Author of the report for the Cooperation Programme between Latin America, the Caribbean, and the European Union on Drug Policies (COPOLAD)
  • Marta Machado, Director, National Secretariat for Drug Policies and Asset Management (SENAD), Brazil

Participation: 

On-site: Attendance by registration

United for Our Forests: CBD COP 16 Seminar

 

Date: Tuesday, October 22

Time: 15:00  (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: Room “La Macarena”, CEVP, Ground Floor (Blue Zone)

Organizer: United for Our Forests Coalition

Speakers: 

  • Giovanna Kuele, Program Manager of International Cooperation, Igarapé Institute
  • Andre Lago, Secretary for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Brazil
  • Ceiça Pitaguary, Secretary for Environmental Territorial Management, Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, Brazil
  • Kevin Conrad, Coalition for Rainforest Nations / Papua New Guinea
  • Juliano Assunção, Climate Policy Initiative
  • Garo Batmanian, Director-General, Brazilian Forest Service 
  • Diego Pacheco Balanza, Director-General for Welfare and Foreign Affairs, Bolivia

Participation: 

On-site: Open to the audience with credentials for the blue zone

Illegal Gold Mining in the Amazon, a Transboundary Environmental Crime

 

Date: Wednesday, October 23

Time: 13:30 – 14:30 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: Chamber of Commerce, Cali (Green Zone)

Co-organizers: AARIMO, Igarapé Institute, Fact Coalition and OMI

Speakers: 

  • Melina Risso, Researcher Director, Igarapé Institute
  • Julia Yansura, Program Director for Environmental Crime and Illicit Finance, Fact Coalition
  • Manuel Zapata, Legal Spokesperson, Illegal Mining Observatory (OMI)
  • Esperanza Leal, Director, Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), Colombia
  • Marcos Orellana, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Toxic and Hazardous Substances 

Participation: 

On-site: Attendance by registration

Strengthening the Rule of Law and Socio-Environmental Protection in the Amazon: Pathways to the Development of a Sustainable Bioeconomy

 

Date: Wednesday, October 23

Time: 15:15 – 16:15 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: Amazonia Forever Pavilion IDB/ACTO (Blue Zone)

Organizer: Amazon Investor Coalition

Speakers: 

  • Giovanna Kuele, Program Manager for International Cooperation, Igarapé Institute
  • Yanê Amoras Lima, Legal Research Director, Amazon Investor Coalition
  • Flávia Bellaguarda, Executive Director, Latin American Climate Lawyers for Mobilizing Action (LACLIMA)
  • Jeferson Straatmann, Sociobiodiversity Economies Facilitator, Socioambiental Institute (ISA)
  • Ellen Acioli, Amazon Sector Specialist, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) (TBC)

Participation: 

On-site: Open to the audience with credentials for the Blue Zone

The Power of Technology and Partnerships to Stop Illegal Gold Mining in the Amazon

 

Date: Wednesday, October 23

Time: 16:00 – 17:30 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: IUCN Pavilion (Blue Zone)

Organizer: Amazon Conservation

Speakers: 

  • Melina Risso, Research Director, Igarapé Institute 
  • John Beavers, President, Amazon Conservation
  • María Franco Chuaire, Program Officer, Andes-Amazon, The Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation
  • Nadia Mamani, Senior Geospatial Analyst & Partner Strategy Lead, Amazon Conservation
  • Carmen Josse, Executive Director, EcoCiencia Foundation
  • Rodrigo Botero, Director, Foundation for Conservation and Sustainable Development (FCDS)
  • Humberto Balbuena, Director of Environmental Policy and Governance, ACCA

Participation: 

On-site: Attendance by registration

Live interpretation in Spanish and English available

Global Challenges in Addressing Environmental Crimes for Biodiversity Protection

 

Date: Thursday, October 24

Time: 08:00 – 10:00 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: The Great British House (Green Zone)

Organizer: British Government’s Sustainable Forest Territories (TEFOS) Programme

Speakers: 

  • Melina Risso, Research Director, Igarapé Institute
  • Colman O Criodain, Policy Manager for Wildlife, WWF 
  • Lina Zamudio, UK Amazon Regional Strategy Coordinator, British Embassy in Colombia

Participation: 

On-site: By invitation only

Live stream link with interpretation available in English and Spanish.

Harmonising Biodiversity and Climate Action with a Peace Lens at COP16

 

Date: Thursday, October 24

Time: 18:00 – 20:30 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Organizer: Adelphi

Speakes: 

  • Giovanna Kuele, Program Manager for International Cooperation, Igarapé Institute
  • Carlos Gabriel Ruiz Massieu Aguirre, Head of the United Nations Verification Mission, Colombia (TBC)
  • Héctor Morales Muñoz, Senior Advisor on Climate Diplomacy and Security, Adelphi
  • Monica Amador-Jimenez, Advisor to the Office of the Ministry of Environment, Colombia
  • Joseph Ronald Toussaint, Chief of Staff, the Ministry of Environment, Haiti
  • Johanna Durán Gómez, Director, Women and Future Foundation
  • Julia Gorricho, Programme Coordinator, Blue Action Fund

Participation:

By invitation only

Going Beyond “No Harm” to Create a Regenerative Economy

 

Date: Friday, October 25

Time: 13:30 – 16:30 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: Cali InterContinental Hotel

Organizer: Bloom 24

Speakers: 

  • Ilona Szabó de Carvalho, Co-founder and President, Igarapé Institute
  • Andrew Mitchell, Founder & Senior Advisor, Global Canopy
  • Matthieu Soulé, Head of BNP Paribas C.Lab Americas, BNP Paribas
  • Ana María Uribe Ramírez, Sustainability Director, Argos Group

Participation: 

On-site: Closed-door session for a select group of multinational corporations and financial institutions, partners, and sponsors

Beyond Conservation: Addressing Environmental Crime, Crime Convergence, and Financial Sector Impacts on Biodiversity at COP 16

 

Date: Sunday, October 27

Time: 09:00 – 10:30 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: IUCN Pavilion (Blue Zone)

Organizer: WWF

Speakers: 

  • Melina Risso, Research Director, Igarapé Institute
  • John Dodsworth, Drivers Initiative Lead, WWF-UK
  • Dr. Oswaldo Cuadros, Head of Colombia’s financial intelligence unit (UIAF)
  • Xenia Zu Hohenlohe, Chief Engagement & Strategy Officer, Sustainable Markets Initiative

Participation:

Open to the audience with credentials for the Blue Zone

Investing for Harmony Between Nature & People

 

Date: Sunday, October 27

Time: 19:30 – 22:00 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: Hotel InterContinental Cali

Organizer: World Economic Forum and ProColombia

Speakers: 

  • Ilona Szabó de Carvalho, Co-founder and President, Igarapé Institute (mediator)
  • Others to be announced

Participation:

Invitation only

Building Ecosystem and Social Resilience as a Strategy for Environmental Crime Prevention

 

Date: Monday, October 28

Time: 14:00 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: CGIAR Pavilion (Blue Zone)

Co-organizers: Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT and CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security

Speaker: 

  • Melina Risso, Research Director, Igarapé Institute
  • Others to be announced

Participation: 

On-site: Open to the audience with credentials for the Blue Zone

Scaling Green Enterprises and Social Impact in the Amazon Basin and Beyond

Date: Tuesday, October 29

Time: 11:30 – 12:15 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: Amazonia Forever Pavilion IDB/ACTO (Blue Zone)

Co-organizers: Igarapé Institute, Arapyaú Institute and IPAM

Speakers:

  • Giovanna Kuele, Program Manager for International Cooperation, Igarapé Institute
  • Roberto S. Waack, Chairman of the Board, Arapyaú Institute
  • Gabriela Savian, Deputy Director of Public Policy, IPAM 
  • Ellen Acioli, Amazon Specialist at the Amazon Coordination Unit, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
  • Marcelo Furtado, Head of Sustainability, Itaúsa   

Participation: 

On-site: Open to the audience with credentials for the Blue Zone

Scaling Up Financing in Amazonia: Amazonia Bond Investment Guidelines

 

Date: Tuesday, October 29

Time: 14:00 – 15:00 (local time: UTC/GMT -5)

Location: Amazonia Forever Pavilion IDB/ACTO (Blue Zone)

Organizer: Amazon Bonds

Speaker:

  • Ilona Szabó de Carvalho, Co-founder and President, Igarapé Institute
  • Ilan Goldfajn, President, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
  • Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean, World Bank
  • Anderson Caputo Silva, Division Chief, Connectivity, Markets and Finance, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
  • Farah Hussain, Senior Financial Officer, Head of Sustainable Finance and ESG Advisory Program, World Bank Treasury
  • Others to be announced

Participation: 

On-site: Open to the audience with credentials for the Blue Zone

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