In an event at the Latin American and Caribbean Pavilion at the COP16 in Cali, CAF and América Futura of El País highlighted the work of 10 leaders from the region who, from different sectors, are creating innovative solutions for the conservation of biodiversity, with a direct impact on their territories and potentially around the world.

The Leaders for Biodiversity event was attended by biologist Wade Davis, Sergio Díaz Granados, executive president of CAF, and Lorena Arroyo, director of América Futura. Among the honorees were biologists, community activists and indigenous rights defenders, whose work contributes decisively to the conservation of biodiversity in their respective countries.

"It is not an isolated event to give these awards; it serves to create the ecosystem that we want to promote, where development financing agents cross paths with those who are protecting our ecosystems on a daily basis. We hope that this recognition will inspire more people in the region and help those we recognize today to continue being an active part of the change we want," said Díaz-Granados.

During the recognition, Wade Davis offered a profound reflection on the importance of Colombia as a natural leader in biodiversity conservation. "Colombia is the only country in the world that was founded with a vision of nature. The idea of ecology and biogeography was born here. Colombia must be the leader in all this work to save its forests and mountains," said Davis. This message reinforces the country's crucial role in global efforts to protect biodiversity and mitigate the impact of climate change.

"This recognition of biodiversity leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean reinforces our commitment to conserving ecosystems and promoting a sustainable future. These agents of change are living examples that we all, from our communities, have a fundamental role in protecting the environment," said Lorena Arroyo.

At a time when the biodiversity crisis is a latent threat to the entire planet, these leaders represent living examples that change is possible when commitment, knowledge and community action are combined.

CAF, as the green bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, is committed to accompanying these efforts through its ecosystem approach, supporting initiatives that promote sustainability and conservation of natural resources. This event, in the context of COP16, reinforces the importance of listening to and supporting those who are on the front line of the defense of our ecosystems.

The 10 leaders

Argentina - Sofía Heinonen: Biologist committed to the protection of biodiversity. She led the first attempts to reverse the extinction crisis in South America, with the reintroduction of species in the Esteros del Iberá, the main wetland ecosystem in Argentina and one of the largest in the world. He has invested more than 30 years contributing to the creation of protected areas. Under her leadership, the Rewilding Argentina project is active in four major ecosystems, including the Patagonian steppe, with the reintroduction of native species to recover ecosystems and develop sustainable ecotourism. It was honored in the BBC 100 Women project.

Brazil - Tasso Azevedo: Founder and coordinator of MAPBIOMAS, a collaborative platform of more than 70 organizations from Brazil and 14 countries that generates annual historical land cover and land use maps of entire countries. He is a Brazil Lab affiliated scholar at Princeton University. In 2013 he received the Bright Award, Stanford University's Global Sustainability Award, he was a member of TED Global in 2014.

Colombia - Daniel Piedrahíta: Agronomist in charge of a reserve of more than 5,000 types of orchids from around the world, in the municipality La Ceja, in Antioquia. He protects them from deforestation, the main threat to these and many other plant and animal species in Colombia. Some 20 species in the reserve are threatened and their dream is to reintroduce them to their places of origin. The sanctuary is also a laboratory for multiplying endangered orchids such as Anguloa Brevilabris and Dracula Nosferatu, which are unique to Colombia. Cloning consists of pollinating them to reproduce a "pure clone" and thus obtain a seed capsule, which will become an orchid after a process that can take years.

Costa Rica - Irene García Brenés: Urban planner and environmental consultant, she leads the innovation team of the urban project "Ciudad Dulce" in Curridabat, a small city in Costa Rica, which was transformed not only for its citizens to live better, but also for all living organisms in the territory to coexist in the best possible way. As part of this project, existing parks have been rehabilitated and some have been transformed into new wetlands to mitigate the negative effects of flooding. The streets assume a dual function and also act as "bio-corridors" linking parks and forests, particularly for pollinators, which bring great benefits to biodiversity.

Ecuador - Paolo Realpe: Founder of the "Muisne desde Adentro" collective in the Province of Esmeraldas, Ecuador. He is dedicated to preserving the ancestral knowledge of the Afro people and their relationship with the care of the mangrove, an ecosystem that is the transversal axis that sustains 80% of the population of the Muisne canton.

Guatemala - Lola Cabnal: She has been working for three decades in the Ak'Tenamit project, where she currently directs the public policy advocacy area, in addition to her experience as coordinator of the Mesa Indígena de Cambio Climático, made up of 42 indigenous organizations and communities in Guatemala that work on environmental issues.

Mexico - Jesús Pacheco: Biologist and Master of Science in Ecology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). He promoted the creation of a reserve of more than 500,000 hectares in the Chihuahua desert. He seeks to recover the grasslands and the recovery of species. The biologist is now focusing all his efforts on involving the community in the care of the reserve and giving the baton to a new generation of biologists.

Peru - Uziela Achayap: Uziela is one of the leaders of the Association "El Bosque de las Nuwas", a group of 70 indigenous women from the Awajún community, who, guided by ancestral knowledge, spend their days under the lush cedar canopy of their forest in Shampuyacu, in the San Martín region of Peru. There, they carry out plant cultivation and reforestation activities. The Nuwas grow medicinal plants with the intention of revitalizing both the ecosystem and livelihoods. On a nine-hectare site, they produce plants for infusions, while running a thriving ecotourism business.

Trinidad and Tobago - Diva Amon: Phd. Marine biologist focused on little-known deep ocean habitats and animals and how human actions are impacting them. She works on the link between science, policy and communication. She has participated in scientific expeditions around the world, advises governments on ocean policy and has an extensive background in communication and outreach.

Venezuela - Karen Brewer: Since she was a child she has dedicated her life to exploring nature and biodiversity, accompanying her father, researcher Charles Brewer-Carias. Through her studies, she became a naturalist and representative of the preservation of animals in the Venezuelan fauna, the conservation of ecosystems and the permanence of the indigenous culture.