IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference.

Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon
For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page

Hayo Haanstra (the Netherlands), Chair of Working Group I

Clarissa Nina (Brazil), Chair of Working Group II

Monyrak Meng (Cambodia), Rapporteur

Elena Makeyeva, Belarus

Helmut Gaugitsch, EU

Rosemary Paterson, New Zealand

Ga Youn Cho, Republic of Korea

Norbert Bärlocher, Switzerland

Ghanim Abdulla, Qatar

Mitzi Gurgel Valente da Costa, Brazil

Christiane Paulus, Germany

Ralph Sontag, Pew Charitable Trusts

Win Naing Thaw, Myanmar

Holly Kelley-Weil, UK

Highlights for Wednesday, 28 November 2018

On Wednesday, Working Groups met in morning and evening sessions. Working Group I addressed:

• enhancing integration regarding biosafety and access and benefit-sharing (ABS);
• conflicts of interest in expert groups;
• resource mobilization and the financial mechanism; and
• digital sequence information (DSI).

WG II addressed:

• marine and coastal biodiversity, including ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs);
• risk assessment and risk management under the Cartagena Protocol;
• socio-economic considerations under the Cartagena Protocol; and
• synthetic biology.

In the afternoon, plenary considered scenarios for the 2050 vision, and the post-2020 preparatory process.

Contact groups and Friends of the Chair groups met throughout the day to address: DSI; the budget; the post-2020 preparatory process; marine and coastal biodiversity, including EBSAs; and resource mobilization and the financial mechanism.

For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

+ Visit the web coverage for Wednesday, 28 November 2018

Hayo Haanstra (the Netherlands), Chair of Working Group I

Nikolay Tzvetkot, Bulgaria, Co-Chair of the contact group on digital sequence information (DSI)

Laure Ledoux, EU, Chair of the contact group on resource mobilization and the financial mechanism

Thomas Greiber, Germany, Chair of the contact group on a global multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism under Article 10 of the Nagoya Protocol

Georgina Catacora-Vargas, Bolivia

Daniel Lewis, Grenada

Highlights for Tuesday, 27 November 2018

On Tuesday, Working Group I did not meet to allow for contact group discussions.

In morning, afternoon and evening sessions, Working Group II addressed:

• biodiversity mainstreaming in the energy and mining, infrastructure, manufacturing, and processing sectors under the Convention;
• marine and coastal biodiversity, including ecologically or biologically sensitive marine areas (EBSAs);
• integration of Article 8(j) (traditional knowledge) under the Convention and its Protocols;
• conservation and sustainable use of pollinators;
• invasive alien species; and
• liability and redress under the Convention.

Deliberations continued into the night.

Contact groups and Friends of the Chair groups met throughout the day to address:

• digital sequence information;
• the budget;
• socio-economic considerations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;
• the post-2020 preparatory process;
• resource mobilization and the financial mechanism; and
• a global multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism under the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing.

For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

+ Visit the web coverage for Tuesday, 27 November 2018

Jean-Patrick Le Duc, France

Felicien Amakde, Benin

Roxana Solis, Peru

José Luis Echevarría, Guatemala

Highlights for Monday, 26 November 2018

On Monday, Working Group I addressed cooperation with other conventions, international organizations, and initiatives under the Convention and the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing (ABS).

Working Group II addressed:

• spatial planning, protected areas, and other effective area-based conservation measures;
• biodiversity mainstreaming in the energy and mining, infrastructure, manufacturing and processing sectors;
• the second work programme of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES); and
• biodiversity and climate change.

Contact groups and Friends of the Chair groups met throughout the day to address:

• the budget;
• biodiversity and climate change;
• marine and coastal biodiversity, including ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs);
• liability and redress under the Convention;
• digital sequence information under the Convention and the Nagoya Protocol on ABS;
• resource mobilization and the financial mechanism under the Convention and its Protocols;
• conflicts of interest under the Convention;
• risk assessment and risk management under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;
• the post-2020 preparatory process under the Convention; and
• synthetic biology under the Convention.

For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

+ Visit the web coverage for Monday, 26 November 2018

Micaela Bonafina, Argentina

Vienna Pozer, Canada

Jing Xin, China

Dubravka Stepic, Croatia

Anne Theo Seinen, EU

Hamdallah Zedan, Egypt

Highlights for Sunday, 25 November 2018

On Sunday, Working Group I approved conference room papers (CRPs) on:

• knowledge management under the Convention;
• the ABS Clearing-House and information sharing;
• operations and activities of the Biosafety Clearing-House;
• communication under the Convention;
• review mechanisms under the Convention;
• compliance under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;
• review of experience in holding concurrent meetings under the Convention and its Protocols; and
• capacity building under the Cartagena Protocol.

Working Group II heard reports from contact groups, addressed biodiversity and climate change, and approved CRPs on:

• transit and contained use of living modified organisms under the Cartagena Protocol; and
• the Rutzolijirisaxik voluntary guidelines for repatriation of traditional knowledge.

An afternoon plenary heard reports, adopted numerous decisions, and witnessed a ceremony for the Clearing-House Mechanism awards.

Contact groups and Friends of the Chair groups met throughout the day to address: the budget; liability and redress under the Convention; Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing (ABS) Article 10 (global multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism); ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs); resource mobilization and the financial mechanism; and socio-economic considerations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).


+ Visit the web coverage for Sunday, 25 November 2018

Highlights for Thursday, 22 November 2018

On Thursday, Working Group I addressed conference room papers (CRPs) on:

• safeguards in biodiversity financing mechanisms;
• methodological guidance concerning the contributions of indigenous peoples and local communities;
• specialized international access and benefit-sharing (ABS) instruments;
• capacity building, and technical and scientific cooperation under the Convention;
• reporting, and assessment and review under the Convention and the Protocols;
• tools to evaluate policy instruments for Strategic Plan implementation;
• the financial mechanism under the Protocols;
• awareness raising under the Nagoya Protocol; and
• capacity building under the Nagoya Protocol.

Working Group II considered CRPs on:

• unintentional transboundary movements of living modified organisms under the Cartagena Protocol;
• the Supplementary Protocol on liability and redress;
• liability and redress under the Convention;
• sustainable wildlife management; and
• Article 8(j).

An afternoon plenary addressed organizational matters and adopted decisions on:

• assessment of progress towards selected Aichi targets;
• the Gender Plan of Action;
• health and biodiversity;
• the date and venue of future COP meetings; and
• assessment and review of the effectiveness of the Nagoya Protocol.

Contact groups met throughout the day to address: resource mobilization and the financial mechanism; socio-economic considerations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; synthetic biology; ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs); and risk assessment under the Cartagena Protocol.

For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).


+ Visit the web coverage for Thursday, 22 November 2018

Highlights for Wednesday, 21 November 2018

On Wednesday, Working Group I addressed several items, including:

• enhancing integration under the Convention and its Protocols with respect to access and benefit-sharing (ABS);
• compliance under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;
• cooperation with other organizations under the Convention and its Protocols;
• review of effectiveness of processes under the Convention and its Protocols;
• review of progress in the implementation of the Strategic Plan;
• assessment and review under the Nagoya Protocol; and
• resource mobilization under the Convention.

Working Group II considered:

• marine and coastal biodiversity;
• invasive alien species;
• liability and redress under the Convention;
• health and biodiversity under the Convention; and
• unintentional transboundary movements of living modified organisms under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

Contact groups on digital sequence information, synthetic biology, and the process for the post-2020 framework met throughout the day.

For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).


+ Visit the web coverage for Wednesday, 21 November 2018

Highlights for Monday, 19 November 2018

On Monday, Working Group I addressed:
•    the global multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism under the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing;
•    resource mobilization and the financial mechanism under the Convention and its Protocols;
•    capacity building, and scientific and technical cooperation under the Convention and its Protocols;
•    raising awareness of the importance of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge under the Nagoya Protocol; and
•    knowledge management and communication under the Convention and its Protocols.

Working Group II considered:
•    socio-economic considerations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;
•    liability and redress under the Convention;
•    biodiversity mainstreaming; and
•    biodiversity and climate change.

Contact groups on synthetic biology and digital sequence information met throughout the day.

For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

+ Visit the web coverage for Monday, 19 November 2018

Highlights for Sunday, 18 November 2018

On Sunday, Working Group I (WG I) addressed: progress in the implementation of the Convention and the Strategic Plan; assessment and review of the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing (ABS); digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources; and specialized international ABS agreements. WG II considered: synthetic biology; risk assessment and risk management under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; unintentional transboundary movements and emergency measures under the Cartagena Protocol; transit and contained use of living modified organisms; the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress; and socio-economic considerations under the Cartagena Protocol. A contact group on synthetic biology met in the evening.

For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

+ Visit the web coverage for Sunday, 18 November 2018

Highlights for Saturday, 17 November 2018

On Saturday morning, the opening plenary of the main proceedings of the UN Biodiversity Conference heard from the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and high-level officials. The afternoon plenary addressed organizational matters, and heard reports and opening statements.
The President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi noted ancient Egypt’s awareness of ecosystems and the dedication of the pharaohs to nature, and stressed Egypt’s constitutional protection for nature and natural resources. Pointing out that the CBD did not manage to fully mobilize the international community to effectively preserve biodiversity due to lack of mainstreaming, he called for integration of CBD objectives across all sectors.

For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

+ Visit the web coverage for Saturday, 17 November 2018

 

Highlights for Thursday, 15 November 2018

On Thursday morning, the High-level Segment of the UN Biodiversity Conference held two parallel round table discussions, on mainstreaming biodiversity in the energy and mining, and in the health sectors. In the afternoon, plenary heard reports from the round tables; adopted the Sharm El-Sheikh Ministerial Declaration; held a panel discussion on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and 2050 vision; and launched the International Alliance on Nature and Culture. During lunchtime, high-level participants planted olive trees at the Peace Park, a botanical garden in Sharm El-Sheikh.

For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

+ Visit the web coverage for Thursday, 15 November 2018

 

Highlights for Wednesday, 14 November 2018

On Wednesday morning, the High-level Segment of the UN Biodiversity Conference heard opening statements and engaged in a panel discussion on “Investing in biodiversity for people and planet.” In the afternoon, participants heard from the Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbouly. They then held two parallel round table discussions, on mainstreaming biodiversity in the infrastructure sector, and on mainstreaming biodiversity in the manufacturing and processing sectors.

+ Visit the web coverage for Wednesday, 15 November 2018