In anticipation of hosting the COP16 environmental summit in Cali in October, the Colombian government has initiated a 15 billion peso ($3.2 million USD) renovation project at the Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport in Palmira, which serves the city of Cali. The summit, focused on biodiversity, is expected to draw approximately 12,000 international attendees.
The airport, inaugurated in 1971 and currently the third busiest in Colombia, will undergo 17 improvement interventions aimed at enhancing its operational capacity and ensuring a seamless experience for summit participants. The renovations, scheduled for completion by August 31, 2025, will include slab replacements, a new cargo terminal roof, runway asphalt resurfacing, and air conditioning system upgrades. Additional improvements will address slope stabilization, pump adaptation, fire protection, and power regulation.
COP16: A Global Summit on Biodiversity
The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) will take place in Cali from October 21 to November 1, 2024. This biennial event is the most important forum for discussions and negotiations under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
The summit will focus on the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the equitable sharing of benefits derived from the utilization of genetic resources. It is expected that countries will review progress on the 23 targets outlined in the Global Biodiversity Framework Kunming-Montreal, adopted in 2022 as the new roadmap to halt and reverse global biodiversity loss.