ENB:09:28
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AGENDA ITEM 7—SUBSIDIARY BODY ON SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVICE (SBSTTA) (UNEP/CBD/COP/1/11)
The President, Dr. Dumont said that after extensive regional consultations, agreement had been reached on the selection of the Chair of the SBSTTA. Dr. J.H. Seyani (Malawi) would serve as Chair of SBSTTA for 1995 and Dr. P. Schei (Norway) would serve as Chair in 1996. Delegates considered terms of reference, organizational and procedural matters, date and venue of its first meeting, and financial arrangements . Algeria, on behalf of the G-77 and China, reiterated the extreme importance attached by developing countries to the SBSTTA as the main implementing body after the COP. Due regard should be given to geographic representation and full participation by developing countries. The SBSTTA should concentrate on specific matters and examine ways to facilitate the transfer of technology, as well as access to eco-technologies for developing countries. India emphasized that technology transfer should be given due priority in the SBSTTA, the programme of work, and the clearing-house mechanism. Germany, on behalf of the EU, said that priorities should be set according to the medium-term work programme to prevent overburdening the SBSTTA, adding that its advice should be purely scientific, technical and technological. He recommended specialized panels to ensure efficiency, but objected to the need for a steering committee to meet more often than the entire SBSTTA. Malaysia recommended that the SBSTTA should: undertake scientific work on protocol issues such as biosafety and the movement of germplasm; develop criteria for sustainable use; and review threats to biodiversity. Brazil, supported by Colombia, suggested that report production is the responsibility of each country Party. He added that the SBSTTA’s terms of reference should mention protection of indigenous lifestyles and practices. The UK said the SBSTTA’s main objective should be to establish a scientific baseline against which future assessments could evaluate the Convention’s effectiveness. New Zealand suggested that the SBSTTA should: communicate with national agencies rather than individual experts; develop a specific priorities list; be cost- effective; and avoid creating burdensome reporting requirements. Japan said that the SBSTTA’s terms of reference are too specific but that it should establish panels focusing on specific priority issues. China suggested that the SBSTTA should provide the COP with scientific information and advice to promote technology transfer. An open-ended contact group chaired by Canada worked to resolve outstanding issues in this agenda item. The first organizational meeting of the SBSTTA was held on 5 December, and was chaired by Dr. J.H. Seyani (Malawi). It addressed two key issues: the election of officers and the date and venue of the first meeting. Regarding the first issue, the Chair reminded delegates that, in accordance with Rule 21 in the Rules of Procedure, the Bureau is to be composed provisionally of a chair, 8 vice-presidents and a rapporteur. Also, in accordance with paragraph 4 of Rule 26, each region shall elect its own candidates. The Chair noted that he had received provisional nominations from: Tunisia and Malawi (Africa); Hungary and Kazakhstan (Eastern Europe); Brazil and Cuba (GRULAC); India and Indonesia (Asia); and Australia and Italy (WEOG). Peter Schei will be the ex-officio member of the Bureau. Delegates agreed that the first SBSTTA meeting be held on 4-8 September 1995 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The draft decision on SBSTTA submitted by the contact group contained in UNEP/CBD/COP/1/CW/L.8 was adopted by the Committee of the Whole.