At the COP16 biodiversity summit in Colombia, representatives of Indigenous peoples, including Teddy Sinacay Tomas from CECONSEC, called for legal recognition of their role in biodiversity preservation. The UN adopted Article 8J, acknowledging Indigenous contributions, which was celebrated by attendees. The EU supported this recognition and emphasized the importance of traditional knowledge in combating deforestation. The conference aimed to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework, with a focus on protecting 30% of land and oceans by 2030.