A surge in the cultivation of coca leaf, a precursor to cocaine, is fueling a wave of violence across Latin America.

Experts say that COP16 must raise pressure ahead of November's COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, for better recognition of the role of nature in fighting climate change. (Reporting by Oliver Griffin and Jake Spring; Editing by Katy Daigle and Marguerita Choy)

This week, representatives of 196 countries are gathering in Cali, Colombia, for the 16th UN Conference of the Parties summit (COP16). It is the first biodiversity-focused meeting since 2022, when governments struck a historic deal to halt the destruction of ecosystems.

Countries are gathering in Cali, Colombia, for two weeks of negotiations on efforts to halt and reverse worldwide declines in nature.Here, the PA news agency answers the key questions about the “Cop16” conference on biodiversity.