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Late Breaking News from The Biodiversity Convention's COP-3

Updated 8 November 1996

"The only legal instrument" -- The Latin American Forest Network said Thursday the CBD should be recognized as the only legal instrument to address forest biodiversity loss.

Forests, indigenous and local communities, terrestrial biodiversity and access to genetic resources highlighted the COP-3 discussions on another busy day in Buenos Aires. In the forest discussions, delegates debated how the Biodiversity Convention should address forests, with suggestions including a work programme for the next year and a declaration like last year's on marine and coastal biodiversity. Delegates also debated whether providing input to the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests was sufficient action on forests.

In the discussions of Article 8j on indigenous and local communties, indigenous groups and a number of delegations called for a working group on the issue, while others proposed an intersessional meeting, and Colombia suggested establishing a subsidiary body on innovative practices of indigenous peoples.

In a series of night meetings, the agricultural biodiversity working group continued its review of written proposals, the working group on the financial mechanism held its first meeting, amending a the document that set a date for review of the GEF's status as the interim financial mechanism, and the Committee of the Whole talked over the Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technical and Technological advice.

Details of the day's discussions are in Friday's Earth Negotiations Bulletin. You can also download Friday's Earth Negotiations Bulletin in either text or PDF format.

Keep an eye on this page for daily updates, including photos and interviews from the negotiations. And for highlights of the previous days' negotiations, check Late Breaking News for:

• Thursday 7 November 1996
• Wednesday 6 November 1996
• Tuesday 5 November 1996
• Monday 4 November 1996