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A New Universal Global Alliance For Biodiversity Protection Established In Bonn

Saturday, May 31, 2008 Source: Germany
Posted in Environment | Tagged Environment

Bonn -Representatives of 191 Parties and over 100 ministers have produced significant new measures to increase the network of protected areas and to negotiate an international set of rules on access to and sharing of the benefits of the rich genetic resources of the world. In so doing, they made a major contribution to the achievement of the 2010 biodiversity target. “The Bonn Biodiversity meeting will be remembered for initiating a new era in implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity,” said Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. At present, the world is losing plant and animal species at a rate between 100-1000 times the natural extinction rates.

The loss of species diminishes the genetic resources needed for medical advances, to assure a secure food supply, and to ensure that the world’s ecosystems can provide the necessary functions that are essential for life. Mr. Djoghlaf went on to say: “We are less than two years from 2010, the year that Heads of State and Government determined to be the target for substantially reducing the rate of loss of biodiversity. These agreements - the Bonn Biodiversity Compact - if implemented expeditiously by all stakeholders, will go a long way to help us meet our goals.” Among the outcomes of the meeting was the establishment of a major financing mechanism for protected areas.

The Life Web initiative will provide significant resources to ensure the implementation of the programme of work on protected areas around the world. In less than two days following its launch, more than 60 Parties have announced their decision to take part. In her opening statement to the High-Level segment, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, announced the provision of 500 million euros for forest protection up to 2012 and 500 million euros a year after that. This was complemented by an announcement by Norway of hundreds of millions of euros in additional funding. Participation of new groups of stakeholders was extended at the Bonn Biodiversity meeting through the convening of a number of parallel events including the Planet Diversity Conference, a scientific summit, and a global summit of cities.

The link between biodiversity and culture was also reinforced by the holding of a live concert on nature, a film festival and a photography exhibition in partnership with GEO magazine. According to Mr. Djoghlaf, “The Bonn Biodiversity Compact will set the roadmap for the Convention on the way to the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Nagoya, Japan in 2010.” The policy continuity of the Convention in the long term was assured with the mobilization of the presidencies of Japan for the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties and of Ecuador for eleventh meeting.  “Solutions to the biodiversity crisis require long-term thinking,” said Ahmed Djoghlaf. “This triple COP presidency of Germany, Japan and Ecuador will ensure that we are planning for the future and not working in an ad hoc manner.” “Today marks the birth of a universal global alliance of all stakeholders, to combat the loss of biodiversity, compounded by climate change,” said Ahmed Djoghlaf.

Support for the three objectives of the Convention: Delegates agreed on a number of measures that support conservation measures, ways to ensure its sustainable use and a set of rules to ensure that benefits from the use of genetic resources are shared equitably. These measures included action on:

Fair sharing of genetic resources: Delegates agreed on a firm process toward the establishment of international rules on access to genetic resources and the equitable sharing of benefits from their use. The meeting produced a plan for the negotiations that not only sets out a clear roadmap leading up to 2010, but also provides a short list of options as to what elements should be legally binding and which not.

Protected areas: Countries agreed to more toward the development of a global network of protected areas that would ensure the conservation of biodiversity. Delegates agreed to a framework of research, identification and financing that would allow the existing protected areas no land and sea to not only expand but to represent the most significant ecosystems of the world. Germany, the host of the conference, launched its Life Web initiative, which provides for financing of protected areas around the world.

Biofuels: While countries agreed that the sustainable production and use of biofuels could have many positive contributions, its success depended on the methods of production, the feedstocks and the agricultural practices involved. They called for the development of sound policy frameworks on biofuels within the Convention drawing upon the existing tools under the Convention.
More info at: http://www.cbd.int/

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the Convention on Biological Diversity is the international framework for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of its benefits. With 190 Parties, the CBD has near-universal participation among countries who have committed to preserving life on Earth. The CBD seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through scientific assessments, the development of tools, incentives and processes, the transfer of technologies and good practices and the full and active involvement of relevant stakeholders including indigenous and local communities, youth, NGOs, women and the business community. The headquarters of the Secretariat of the Convention is located in Montreal.