PYEONGCHANG, South Korea—Eight thousand environmentalists from governments and United Nations (UN) agencies; international, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations; academia; and indigenous and local communities are meeting in Pyeongchang, Gangwon province, Republic of Korea, from October 6 to 18 to discuss progress in meeting the global biodiversity targets for 2020.
The 12th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP12) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will consider a series of strategic, substantive, administrative and budgetary issues, including a midterm review of progress toward the goals of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Targets.
The CBD was adopted on May 22, 1992, and entered into force on December 29, 1993. There are currently 193 parties to the CBD, which aims to promote the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.
COP12 will also address issues related to biodiversity, which include sustainable development, marine and coastal biodiversity, climate change, biofuels, traditional knowledge, sustainable wildlife management, invasive alien species, synthetic biology, and ecosystem conservation and restoration.
Preceding the COP12 was the Seventh Meeting of the Parties (MOP7) to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The protocol, adopted in January 2000, addresses the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) that may have adverse effects on biodiversity, taking into account human health, with a specific focus on transboundary movements of LMOs. It introduces an advance informed-agreement procedure for imports of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment, and incorporates the precautionary approach and mechanisms for risk assessment and risk management.
The protocol entered into force on September 11, 2003, and has 168 parties.
The MOP7 adopted 14 decisions on compliance; the Biosafety Clearinghouse; financial mechanism and resources; cooperation with other organizations, conventions and initiatives; improving the efficiency of structures and processes; budget; handling, transport, packaging and identification of LMOs; the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress; risk assessment and risk management; socioeconomic considerations; monitoring and reporting; assessment and review of the effectiveness of the protocol; unintentional transboundary movements and emergency measures; and contained use of LMOs.
During the second week of COP12, from October 13 to 17, the First Meeting of the Parties (MOP1) to the Nagoya protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) will be held.
The Nagoya Protocol promotes the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and appropriate transfer of relevant technologies. It takes into account all rights over those resources and technologies, and by appropriate funding, thereby contributing to the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of its components.
The protocol applies to genetic resources covered by the CBD and to traditional knowledge associated with such genetic resources, including those held by indigenous and local communities; sets out obligations for parties on access, benefit-sharing and compliance; and provides for the establishment of national focal points and competent national authorities, an ABS Clearing-house, and implementation support through capacity building, technology transfer and financial provisions.
MOP1 of the Nagoya Protocol will consider the status of the ratification and implementation of the Nagoya Protocol and address issues such as ABS Clearing-house and information sharing; monitoring and reporting; compliance; model contractual clauses and other voluntary instruments; capacity building; awareness raising; the need for and modalities of a global multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism; and organizational, financial and budgetary matters. On the margins of COP12, a series of parallel meetings and events will also convene, which include the Communication, Education and Public Awareness Fair; the Rio Convention Pavilion; the COP12 high-level segment under the theme “Biodiversity for Sustainable Development”; the Biodiversity Summit for Cities and Subnational Governments; and several exhibitions and side events.
Two of the side events are being organized by the Philippines-based Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB). On October 8 ACB, in cooperation with the GIZ-funded Biodiversity and Climate Change Project, will conduct a forum on “The Asean Heritage Parks: Effectively Managing Ecologically Representative Protected Areas in Southeast Asia.”
The forum will discuss strengthening the management of Asean Heritage Parks (AHP), which are selected protected areas known for their unique biodiversity and ecosystems, wilderness and outstanding values. Southeast Asia now has 33 AHPs, covering over 8 million hectares of different ecosystems spread throughout the 10 Asean member-states. The Philippines has five—Mount Apo, Mount Kitanglad, Mount Makiling, Mounts Iglit-Baco and Mount Malindang.
On October 13 ACB, in cooperation with the Partnership in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia, will hold a “Partners Roundtable on Achieving the Aichi Targets Through Integrated Coastal Management.”
Image credits: ACB