Connecting biodiversity and climate change: bioeconomy principles towards COP16 and COP30

MT: 2025 will be a crucial year for SEI Africa, as it will allow us to connect actions across SEI centres (Latin America, Africa, and Asia), and make a positive impact in South Africa by fostering South-South and triangular North-South cooperation platforms.

Tropical regions share many similarities—they are rich in biodiversity but face significant socioeconomic challenges. There is a lot we can learn from one another and many ways we can strengthen each other.

HC: We will likely see an increased focus on South-South cooperation, where countries in Latin America and Africa can exchange knowledge and experiences in bioeconomy. We also expect joint projects that promote sustainable value chains and innovation in biotechnology.

The G20 Bioeconomy Principles open up new opportunities not only for Latin America and the Caribbean but for tropical countries as a whole. Collaboration between governments, the private sector, academia, and local communities will be key to turning these principles into real actions that drive sustainable and inclusive development.