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

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ENB Summary
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ENB daily reports
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Highlights for Thursday 11 April 2002

Delegates met throughout the day in two Working Groups and contact groups. Working Group I (WG-I) discussed identification, monitoring, indicators and assessments, and the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI). Working Group II (WG-II) discussed financial resources and mechanism; scientific and technical cooperation and the Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM); and education and public awareness. Contact groups on invasive alien species, forest biodiversity, the strategic plan, and access and benefit-sharing (ABS) met. Above photo: An evening session of the contact group on forest biodiversity.

WORKING GROUP I: IDENTIFICATION, MONITORING, INDICATORS AND ASSESSMENTS

INDIA questioned having a SBSTTA work program without adequate time to assess and apply guidelines.

MALAYSIA highlighted experts' involvement in the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment.

SIERRA LEONE suggested further research on resource valuation.

GLOBAL TAXONOMY INITIATIVE:

Cristián Samper, SBSTTA-6 Chair, outlined the importance of the Global Taxonomy Initiative,.and noted concerns expressed during SBSTTA-6 about capacity building and funding for a permanent programme officer at the Secretariat.

Ethiopia, on behalf of the AFRICAN GROUP, requested more harmonization with needs assessment and alien species.

The EU said focal points should be indicated on a national scale and member states should assess their own capacity and taxonomic needs.

TUNISIA emphasized implementation at genetic, specific and ecosystem levels of biodiversity.

WORKING GROUP II: FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND MECHANISM

CHINA requested deleting a proposal to elaborate guidelines for reviewing national budgets and monetary policies. Regarding additional resources, numerous countries proposed identifying other sources of funding including bilateral, multilateral and private sector sources.

DENMARK supported COP guidance to the GEF on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

The RUSSIAN FEDERATION supported developing national biodiversity investment portfolios.

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND THE CHM:

IRAN suggested promoting use of the CHM's central portal.

The EU supported including further activities in the CHM, providing use of Internet servers to developing countries,and stressed the need for training.

BELGIUM recommended developing the CHM toolkit and highlighted efforts to enable all Parties to take part in the CHM.

EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS:

UNESCO highlighted its work on the Global Initiative on Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA), noting its objectives to build a network of actors and knowledge holders, identify and collect expertise, and build capacity.

SENEGAL noted the need to focus on biodiversity rich areas with impoverished populations.

DENMARK highlighted an upcoming conference to develop a manual of best practices and code of best practices for nature interpretation.

CONTACT GROUPS:

FOREST BIODIVERSITY

The "Friends of the Chair" group reported on progress in their work on priorities. Delegates debated language regarding reporting on implementation, with some noting the need to reduce national reporting requirements.

ACCESS AND BENEFIT-SHARING

In an evening session, the contact group reached a compromise regarding derivatives and products, adding the reference to the provisions on prior informed consent and mutually agreed terms and removing it from the provision on scope.

SIDE EVENT:

IUCN: "Forests, People, and Climate Change."

Brett Orlando of IUCN - The World Conservation Union, Jens Mackensen of UNEP, and Stephen Kelleher of WWF, gave presentations on a joint side event entitled "Forests, People, and Climate Change." The side event sought to update participants at the CBD COP of developments in the climate change negotiations and to trigger discussion on how the CBD process could contribute to ensuring that carbon sequestration activities under the Kyoto Protocol contribute to the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of natural resources. Alvaro Luna of IUCN moderated the discussions.

Links:

The CBD home page

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety home page

ENB Coverage of COP-5 |SBSTTA-7 |WG on Article 8(j)-2|WG-ABS-1 |

COP-6 Provisional Agenda |PDF|WORD|

COP-6 Information for Participants in PDF

CBD-Handbook

IISD Introduction to the CBD Process