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THIRD SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON : BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY:: 4-15 NOVEMBER 1996

<$TSpInterLn=1335;EfWeight=4>The third session of the Conference of Parties (COP- 3) to the Convention on Biological Diversity met in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 4-15 November 1996. If COP-1 established the basic machinery of the Convention and COP-2 adopted decisions for programming, COP-3 sought to address implementation in the context of these decisions. In the process, the COP began to come into its own, as it attempted to assert its authority over the GEF and its autonomy vis-à-vis UNEP, focus its work programme and future agenda, define its relationship with other international regimes, and develop guidelines for action on a number of substantive issues. To this end, the COP took several key decisions, including: elaborating a realistic work programme on agricultural biodiversity and a more limited one on forest biodiversity; a long negotiated Memorandum of Understanding with the GEF; an agreement to hold an intersessional workshop on Article 8(j) (traditional knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities); application by the Executive Secretary for observer status to the WTO Committee on Trade and the Environment; and a prosaic statement from the CBD to the Special Session of the UN General Assembly to review implementation of Agenda 21.