ENB @ CBD COP-6, 7-19 April 2002, The Hague, The Netherlands

Sixth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity
The Hague, The Netherlands
7-19 April 2002

Daily Web Coverage: Images and Real Audio

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
April 7	April 8	April 9	April 10	April 11	April 12
	April 15	April 16	April 17	April 18

ENB Summary
April	HTML	PDF	TXT
22

ENB daily reports
April	HTML	PDF	TXT
19
18
17
16
15
12
11
10
9
8

Highlights for Monday 8 April 2002

At the first Plenary, delegates heard opening remarks, elected officers, adopted the agenda and addressed pending issues. Statements were delivered on behalf of regional preparatory meetings and international institutions and processes. Delegates also heard reports on intersessional activities and considered the budget.

Above photo: Hamdallah Zedan, CBD Executive Secretary delivering his opening remarks.

PLENARY

OPENING REMARKS:

COP-6 President Geke Faber (the Netherlands) (center) stressed her mandate's objective: to shift from policy formulation to implementation and from conservation to sustainable use.

CBD Executive Secretary Hamdallah Zedan (above left) mentioned the CBD's role in achieving sustainable development and implementing Agenda 21, and thanked the governments of Canada and the Netherlands, as well as Australia, Japan, Norway, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom for their financial support.

ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS:

L-R: Delegates elected Alfred Oteng-Yeboah (Ghana) as the Chair of the ninth and tenth meetings of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA); Elaine Fisher (Jamaica) as Chair of Working Group II and Peter Schei (Norway) as Chair of Working Group I.

STATEMENTS:

Kenya, on behalf of the AFRICAN GROUP, underlined the need for adequate and predictable financing to implement the Convention and said that the Global Environment Facility's (GEF) procedures should be further streamlined. He also called for rapid implementation of the CBD's objective on equitable benefit-sharing.

The UN CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION (CCD) highlighted joint activities with the CBD and national and international initiatives to promote synergies among the CBD, CCD and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) emphasized the goals, activities and priorities common to CBD and CITES and expressed hope for increased linkages and collaboration between the two conventions.

The UN EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION presented a video on communication, education and public awareness for biodiversity.

The UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO) highlighted the importance of conservation for food security and mentioned the cooperative process between the FAO and CBD regarding agrobiodiversity and animal genetic resources.

The WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION (WIPO) reported on progress on intellectual property and genetic resources and the protection of traditional knowledge, and stressed cooperation with the CBD and FAO.

The Millenium Ecosystem Assessment requested guidance from the COP and SBSTTA regarding assessment priorities and the preparation of synthesis reports.

The INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS FORUM ON BIODIVERSITY noted the fundamental role of indigenous peoples in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, stressed the role of indigenous women, and called for full participation at all levels.

KIDS FOR THE FORESTS, assuming the voice of a forest animal, urged delegates to act now to stop the loss of ancient forests.

REPORTS:

Cristián Samper (Colombia), Chair of SBSTTA-6, introduced document UNEP/CBD/COP/6/3. He reviewed recommendations on: ad hoc technical groups; marine and coastal biodiversity; inland waters; alien invasive species; scientific assessment; the Global Taxonomy Initiative; climate change; migratory species and the CMS; and the Global Biodiversity Outlook.

Jan Plesník (Czech Republic), Chair of SBSTTA-7, introduced document UNEP/CBD/COP/6/4. He reviewed SBSTTA's work on, inter alia: forest biodiversity; the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC); incentive measures; progress reports; ad hoc technical groups; and assessment processes.

Reuben Olembo (Kenya), presented the Report of the Open-ended Intersessional Meeting on the Strategic Plan, National Reports and Implementation (UNEP/CBD/COP/6/5) and introduced the Report of the Working Group on Article 8(j) (UNEP/CBD/COP/6/ 7).