Exploring Nature-positive Solutions | PAGE at COP16

On 22 October, PAGE management board member Tim Scott provided opening remarks for a discussion on “Making Nature Count through valuation and natural capital accounting” organized by the European Investment Bank in collaboration with the World Bank in the Multilateral Development Bank Pavilion. Speakers included representatives from the governments of Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, S&P Global, the Foundation for Sustainable Development, and the Value-Balancing Alliance.

On 24 October, a panel discussion with WWF, Just Rural Transition, and the governments of Colombia, Brazil and the UK was convened on ‘Reforming Agricultural Policies and Public Support for People, Planet and Prosperity’ in the Asia and the Pacific Meeting Room to highlight progress and lessons from countries and stakeholders – including farmers – about the importance of inclusive, consultative approaches. On the panel, Alejo Maggini emphasized the importance of inclusive consultative processes with farmers, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, and youth organizations and shared JRT’s lessons-learned in advancing meaningful engagements and long-lasting partnership in multi-stakeholder collaboration.

On 25 October 2024, PAGE, FAIRR, the Green Fiscal Policy Network, and Just Rural Transition, with the government of Australia organized a dialogue on “From Harm to Harmony: Redefining Agricultural Subsidies for Biodiversity Conservation” in the Finance and Biodiversity Pavilion. Representative of the Just Rural Transition initiative, Alejo Maggini, moderated the panel discussion. Focusing on the communities living and working at the frontlines of these food systems transformations, the panel discussed strategies and solutions that ensure benefits and protection for both people and nature. It brought together individuals from across the food systems space representing farmers, investors, UN agencies, and governments.

On 26 October, PAGE presented in an International Expert Panel on “Public Policies for Circular Economy and Biodiversity” as part of an all-day Circular Economy Symposium hosted by the Government of Colombia. This panel session featured examples of effective policies to help scale up Nature-positive circular economy solutions. In addition to PAGE and Colombia, the Panel included experts from Sitra, IUCN, WBCSD, and Systemiq.

On 29 October, a roundtable discussion on “Public-private Collaboration to Repurpose Agricultural Subsidies for Nature and People” was organized in the Business and Nature Hub with WWF and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development and speakers from the Government of the Netherlands, Danone, and farmer from Asia and Brazil.

On 31 October 2024, the Cooperation Day was jointly organised by UNDP, the CBD Secretariat and the Environment Management Group in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Pavilion . Serving as an exchange platform, UN agencies, governments and stakeholder groups spoke on ways to promote whole-of-society and whole-of-government approaches; connect the dots between global strategies on biodiversity, climate, land degradation, pollution; and scale up integrated solutions and South-South technical collaboration including through initiatives such as PAGE.