|
 SBSTTA-4 Chair Zakri A. Hamid (Malaysia) said
collaboration with the scientific community remains piecemeal and suggested considering
establishing a structured mechanism, similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC), to better draw upon scientific research, assessments and organizations. He
urged delegates to draft specific and targeted recommendations that delimit policy
options, timetables, products, actions and follow-up, and identify relevant actors. |
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Paul Chabeda (UNEP) stressed the importance
UNEP attaches to providing guidance and the most up-to-date and best available scientific
knowledge to the CBD. He also noted that UNEP gives SBSTTA high priority and stressed the
importance of linkages with other international environmental conventions. |
| Hamdallah Zedan, Acting Executive Secretary of
CBD, said the national reports have raised many complicated issues, which will make
SBSTTA-4 a challenge. He emphasized the importance of issues like benefit sharing and
biosafety, and informed delegates that preparations for the resumed ExCOP on Biosafety
have continued since last February. The President of the ExCOP and the President of COP-4
will attend the Intersessional meeting on the Operations of the Convention (ISOC-1). |
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The 14th GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FORUM met from 18-20 June,
1999 in Montreal, Canada. Kerry Ten Kate (Royal Botanical Gardens), on behalf of the GBF,
recommended using economic arguments to illustrate the need to integrate biodiversity into
decision-making and capacity-building for biodiversity economists. Participants of the
Forum also called for practical, clear indicators. |
| Bill Phillips, Deputy Secretary-General of
the RAMSAR CONVENTION Secretariat highlighted the excellent partnership with the CBD and
reported on the outcome of Ramsar COP-7, held from 10-18 May 1999 in San José, Costa
Rica. He also presented a Progress Report on Implementation of the Joint Work Plan between
the Wetlands Convention and the CBD. He invited the SBSTTA Chair to be a permanent
observer on Ramsar's Scientific and Technical Review Panel and proposed that their joint
work plan be further harmonized, especially on invasive species, impact assessments and
incentives. |
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Rajeb Boulharouf, on behalf of the CONVENTION TO COMBAT
DESERTIFICATION, said the CCD and CBD Secretariats should undertake complementary work,
and highlighted several programmes for cooperation based on the MOU between them. |
| Hamid, Zedan and Chabeda listening to
reports on meetings and organizations during the Opening Plenary |
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