ENB @ COP 9 19-30 May 2008; Bonn, Germany

Earth Negotiations Bulletin - ENB

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Fri 30 & Summary

Ninth Meeting of the Conference
of the Parties

19-30 May 2008| Bonn, Germany

Highlights for Thursday, 22 May 2008

Delegates met in two working groups throughout the day. In morning, afternoon and evening sessions, Working Group I (WG I) considered invasive alien species (IAS), protected areas (PAs), dry and sub-humid lands, inland waters and marine and coastal biodiversity. WG II addressed liability and redress, operations of the Convention, and communication, education and public awareness (CEPA), and considered conference room papers (CRPs) on the third edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO 3), the gender action plan, and technology transfer and cooperation. An evening plenary was dedicated to celebrating the International Biodiversity Day, focusing on biodiversity and agriculture. Contact and informal groups on financial resources and mechanism, access and benefit-sharing (ABS), Article 8(j), agricultural and forest biodiversity and the budget also convened during the day.

Above photo: View of the plenary during the International Day for Biological Diversity celebration.

WORKING GROUP I

PROTECTED AREAS:

BRAZIL noted that compensation payments, private-public partnerships and payments for ecosystem services are useful but must remain secondary to international donor support.

Above photo: Pedro Andrade (Brazil)

The Bahamas, for SIDS, highlighted funding mechanisms that increase and capture revenues for PAs.

Above photo: Deon Alexander Stewart (Bahamas)

ASIA AND THE PACIFIC and the AFRICAN GROUP requested greater recognition of the role of protected areas in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Above photo: Tousi Tiwok (Vanuatu), Tregar Albons Ishoda (Marshall Islands) and Joseph Aitaro (Palau)

The INTERNATIONAL PETROLEUM INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION (IPIECA) said the IUCN category system for PAs is not suitable to determine no-go decisions.

Above photo: Alexander Shestakov (IPIECA)

MARINE AND COASTAL BIODIVERSITY:

Valentina Germani (UNDOALOS)

A number of delegates expressed concerns regarding ocean fertilization, with ECUADOR, the PHILIPPINES and GHANA calling for a moratorium.

Above photo: Antonio Matamoros and Veronica Arias (Ecuador)

Discussions on marine and coastal biodiversity will continue on Friday.

Above photo L-R: Sigurdur Thrainsson and Hrefna Karlsdóttir (Iceland)

Samedi (Indonesia)

WORKING GROUP II

LIABILITY AND REDRESS:

The AFRICAN GROUP pointed to ongoing work on rules and procedures on liability and redress under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, as a reference point for future work under the CBD.

Above photo: David Hafashimana (Uganda)

WG II Chair Chaweewan Hutacharern (Thailand) in consultation with CBD staff.

INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY:

Bärbel Diekmann, Mayor of Bonn, gave an overview of the activities of the Cities and Biodiversity Initiative. She said that demand for food products in cities determines agricultural production in rural areas, and called for changes in consumption patterns.

Bakary Kante, on behalf of UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, presented the COP 9 President with a trophy symbolizing the Beobab Tree of Life, in recognition for his work on education and awareness raising.

Sergio Zelaya, on behalf of UNCCD Executive Secretary Luc Gnacadja, outlined the UNCCD's contribution to conserving agricultural biodiversity by combating land degradation and desertification.

Robert Watson highlighted the multifuctionality of agriculture and the challenge of increasing the production of nutritious, affordable food, grown in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner.

Jochen Flasbarth, on behalf of Germany's Minister of the Environment and COP 9 President Sigmar Gabriel, introduced the theme of the International Day for Biological Diversity "Biodiversity and Agriculture." He noted that causes for biodiversity loss are complex and cautioned against simplistic explanations, such as blaming the global food crisis only on biofuels.

Above photo L-R: Saint Lucia's Michael Andrew and Peruvian delegates Clara Omland and Maria Luisa del Rio Mispireta presented artwork to the CBD Museum of Nature and Culture

David Ainsworth, CBD Secretariat, presented the message of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in which Ban Ki-moon outlined the
dangers of agricultural biodiversity loss in the face of new threats such as climate change.

In a video message, James Butler, FAO Deputy Director-General underlined the mutually beneficial relationship between biodiversity and
agriculture.

Emile Frison, Director-General of Bioversity International, said in his video message that the current food crisis is a wake-up call to invest
in agriculture and conservation of wild crop relatives.

Ahmed Djoghlaf, CBD Executive Secretary, pointed out that the full implementation of the three CBD objectives can constitute a response
to the unprecedented food crisis.

COP 9 ENB SNAPSHOTS:

Child on a WWF picture booth

Thai delegation served delicious Thai lunch boxes to COP 9 participants.

German Ministry of Environment and the University of Bonn treated COP 9 participants with their edible booth to raise awareness on the plight of various pollinators.

Lucas Assunção (UNCTAD)

Damaso Luna (Mexico)

Ahmed Birouk (OIF)

CBD staff Franca D'Amico and Marie Khan

Marc Auer (Germany) (right) in disscusion with a colleague from the EU.

Giannina Santiago (Colombia)

Jihyun Lee (CBD)

Elaine Fisher (Jamaica)

Olivia Pasini (ENB) (right) with participants from IUCN

Hesiquio Benitez Diaz (Mexico)

Delegates from Italy

Rene Lefeber (the Netherlands) in discussion with Elsa Tsioumani (ENB)

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