Eighth meeting of the Ad-Hoc Open-ended Intersessional Working Group on Article 8(j) (traditional knowledge) and Related Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Seventeenth meeting of the CBD Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA)

Friday, 11 October 2013

On Friday, plenary convened in the morning and adopted all recommendations and the meeting report. Several delegations welcomed the adoption of the draft plan of action on customary sustainable use, and praised the Working Group for its unique openness to participation by indigenous and local communities in the deliberations.

Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, CBD Executive Secretary, singled out as accomplishments of the meeting: the draft plan of action on customary sustainable use; agreement on the way forward on tasks 7, 10 and 12, which will complement work under the Nagoya Protocol and other international agreements by fleshing out free prior informed consent and benefit-sharing for traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources; and progress on repatriation of traditional knowledge, which is a challenging area of work where the CBD can make a difference. Co-Chair Pande congratulated delegates for their constructive debates and drew the meeting to a close at 11:50am.

Summary of the meeting in English and French (in HTML and in PDF format)

Visit the full ENB coverage for Friday, 11 October 2013

Thursday, 10 October 2013

Delegates met in plenary throughout the day. In the morning, they considered draft recommendations on: customary sustainable use; repatriation of traditional knowledge; sui generis systems; the contribution of tasks 7, 10 and 12 of the Article 8(j) work programme (benefit-sharing from, and unlawful appropriation of, traditional knowledge) to the work under the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol; and on UNPFII recommendations. In the afternoon, following informal consultations, plenary considered a revised draft recommendation on tasks 7, 10 and 12. 

Summary of the meeting in English and French (in HTML and in PDF format)

Visit the full ENB coverage for Thursday, 10 October 2013

Tuesday, 8 October 2013

Delegates to the Article 8(j) Working Group met in plenary in the morning to continue discussion of sui generis systems, and consider recommendations from the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), including the matter of terminology related to “indigenous peoples and local communities” and its implications for the CBD. A contact group on repatriation of traditional knowledge, chaired by Valeria Gonzalez Posse (Argentina) and Gam Shimray (IIFB), met in the afternoon.

Summary of the meeting in English and French (in HTML and in PDF format)

Visit the full ENB coverage for Tuesday, 8 October 2013

Monday, 7 October 2013

The Working Group on Article 8(j) (traditional knowledge) and Related Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) opened on Monday, 7 October 2013, in Montreal, Canada. Meeting in plenary throughout the day, delegates attended an indigenous welcoming ceremony and addressed: progress in implementation of Article 8(j); a draft plan of action on customary sustainable use; draft best-practice guidelines on the repatriation to traditional knowledge; the contribution of tasks 7, 10 and 12 of the Article 8(j) work programme (benefit-sharing from, and unlawful appropriation of, traditional knowledge) to the work under the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol; and sui generis systems for the protection, preservation and promotion of traditional knowledge.

Summary of the meeting in English and French (in HTML and in PDF format)

Visit the full ENB coverage for Monday, 7 October 2013