ENB:09:53
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WORKING GROUP 2
On the draft recommendations on Agenda Item 3.5 (technology transfer), SWITZERLAND called for a reference to incentive instruments and a liaison person to reinforce the exchange of information with the private sector in the already adopted recommendation.Draft recommendations on Item 3.7 were adopted, taking into consideration concerns expressed by ANTIGUA & BARBUDA and INDIA that GEF funding should only be referred to in connection with capacity building in biosafety.
The draft recommendations on Agenda Item 3.8 (the CHM), contained in UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/2/WG.2/CRP.3, were adopted. MALAWI called for GEF funding for implementing the CHM at sub-regional and regional level, INDIA urged the financial support primarily at the national level. CANADA emphasized GEF support beyond the pilot phase. The meeting discussed draft recommendations submitted by the Chair on Agenda Item 3.4, capacity building for taxonomy. The paragraph recognizing a lack of taxonomists, advocating regional centres in developing countries and calling for a practical direction to taxonomy was amended to mention taxonomic collections, to link capacity building to implementing the CBD, and to call for identifying areas of high diversity as national priorities.
The paragraph urging taxonomic needs assessments and action plans was modified to call for needs assessments “where appropriate”. The paragraph calling for the return of existing taxonomic knowledge to countries of origin was modified by COLOMBIA, who added taxonomic “data”, and by AUSTRALIA, who added taxonomic collections “on occasion” as well. The paragraph calling for information on capacity building in the CHM while avoiding duplication of existing information was modified to call for making existing information “readily accessible worldwide”. SWEDEN proposed language on furthering the objectives of the CBD, while AUSTRALIA proposed recognizing the value of incorporating “traditional taxonomic systems” into the knowledge base.
COLOMBIA proposed augmenting the paragraph that mentions general guidelines for funding with a specific list of priorities, including training and data dissemination funded by the GEF for developing countries. CANADA suggested a more general reference to support adequate long-term housing of collections and research programmes in all countries. INDIA suggested adding a paragraph on serving national priorities through the financial mechanism.
The meeting adjourned by 7:00 p.m. and was scheduled to reconvene at 9:00 p.m to consider draft recommendations on economic valuation, Agenda Item 3.11. The CHAIR proposed simultaneously convening a small group to add delegates’ recommendations to an informal paper on indigenous knowledge.