European Union

Civil society action in the corridors of the Conference On Sunday, Working Group I approved conference room papers (CRPs) on: knowledge management under the Convention; the ABS Clearing-House and information sharing; operations and activities of the Biosafety Clearing-House; communication under the Convention; review mechanisms under the Convention; compliance under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; review of experience in holding concurrent meetings under the Convention and its Protocols; and capacity building under the Cartagena Protocol. Working Group II heard reports from contact groups, addressed biodiversity and climate change, and approved CRPs on: transit and contained use of living modified organisms under the Cartagena Protocol; and the Rutzolijirisaxik voluntary guidelines for repatriation of traditional knowledge. An afternoon plenary heard reports, adopted numerous decisions, and witnessed a ceremony for the Clearing-House Mechanism awards. Contact groups and Friends of the Chair groups met throughout the day to address: the budget; liability and redress under the Convention; Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing (ABS) Article 10 (global multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism); ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs); resource mobilization and the financial mechanism; and socio-economic considerations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page L-R: Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, CBD Secretariat; Hayo Haanstra (the Netherlands), Chair of Working Group I; and Manoela Pessoa de Miranda, CBD Secretariat L-R: David Ainsworth, Erie Tamale, and Kata Koppel, CBD Secretariat Ana María Hernández Salgar, Colombia Maria Luisa Angelica Del Rio Mispireta, Peru L-R: Alicja Kozlowska and Elfriede Anna More, EU Aboubacar Oulare, Guinea T. Rabikumar, India Antje Lorch, ECOROPA Maho Matsumoto, Japan Larbi Sbaï, Morocco Nonita Caguioa, the Philippines Alejandra Barrios Pérez, Mexico Li Lin Lim, Third World Network Lactitia Tshitwamulomoni, South Africa Christine Akello, Uganda L-R: Victoria Romero and Sonia Peña Moreno, IUCN Delegates from Egypt L-R: Alexander Shestakov, CBD Secretariat; Clarissa Nina (Brazil), Chair of Working Group II; and Lisa Janishevski, CBD Secretariat Hlobsile Sikhosana, Eswatini Stephanie Mary Villaseñor, Costa Rica Jesús Guerra Bell, Cuba L-R: Anna Gureva and Duncan Borg, Malta L-R: Ba Moussa and Diagana Mallé, Mauritania Ta'hirih Hokafonu, Tonga Sara Mashhadi Ali Akbar, Iran Mamadou Diallo, Senegal Ahmed Sabah, Iraq Adam van Opzeeland, New Zealand Adem Bilgin, Turkey L-R: Worku Damena Yifru, CBD Secretariat; David Cooper, CBD Deputy Executive Secretary; COP 14 President Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt; and Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary COP 14 President Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger, CISDL Lily Rodriguez, International Union of Biological Sciences L-R: Sheila Wertz-Kanounnikoff, UN Food and Agriculture Organization; Cathy Oke, ICLEI; and Ghanimat Azhdari, Cenesta Gabriele Obermayr, Austria Mitzi Gurgel Valente da Costa, Brazil Gaute Voigt-Hanssen, Norway Scott Wilson, Canada Moment of silence for Olivier de Munck, CBD Secretariat COP 14 CHM Award winners David Cooper, CBD Deputy Executive Secretary, with delegates from the Caribbean L-R: Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary, and Theresa Mundita Lim, Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), at the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between CBD and ACB Delegates from Brazil L-R: Anwar Abu Sakieneh, Jane Smart, and Dao Nguyen, IUCN L-R: Martha Kandawa-Shultz and Lavinia Mbongo, Namibia L-R: Odacy Davis, Patrick Chesney, Stacy Lord, Vincent Adams, and Diana Fernandes, Guyana Civil society action in the corridors of the Conference  

Delegates in Working Group II in informal consultations On Thursday, Working Group I addressed conference room papers (CRPs) on: safeguards in biodiversity financing mechanisms; methodological guidance concerning the contributions of indigenous peoples and local communities; specialized international access and benefit-sharing (ABS) instruments; capacity building, and technical and scientific cooperation under the Convention; reporting, and assessment and review under the Convention and the Protocols; tools to evaluate policy instruments for Strategic Plan implementation; the financial mechanism under the Protocols; awareness raising under the Nagoya Protocol; and capacity building under the Nagoya Protocol. Working Group II considered CRPs on: unintentional transboundary movements of living modified organisms under the Cartagena Protocol; the Supplementary Protocol on liability and redress; liability and redress under the Convention; sustainable wildlife management; and Article 8(j). An afternoon plenary addressed organizational matters and adopted decisions on: assessment of progress towards selected Aichi targets; the Gender Plan of Action; health and biodiversity; the date and venue of future COP meetings; and assessment and review of the effectiveness of the Nagoya Protocol. Contact groups met throughout the day to address: resource mobilization and the financial mechanism; socio-economic considerations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; synthetic biology; ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs); and risk assessment under the Cartagena Protocol.For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page L-R: Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, CBD Secretariat; Hayo Haanstra (the Netherlands), Chair of Working Group I; and John Scott, CBD Secretariat Valerie Normand, CBD Secretariat John Scott, CBD Secretariat L-R: Laura Rodríguez Codallos, Edda Fernández Luiselli, Valerie Cruz Blancas, and Alejandra Barrios Pérez, Mexico Vienna Pozer, Canada Laure Ledoux, EU L-R: Christine Akello and Kagumaho Kakuyo, Uganda Emmanuel Bayani Ngoyi, Gabon Jeanette Florita, the Philippines Nenenteiti Teariki-Ruatu, Kiribati Odacy Davis, Guyana Joon-woo Seo, Republic of Korea Abdirizak Mohammud, Somalia Larbi Sbaï, Morocco Rosemary Paterson, New Zealand Maxwell Mendoza, Venezuela Barbara De Rosa-Joynt, US Jerry Harrison, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre Lyle Glowka, Convention on Migratory Species L-R: Lactitia Tshitwamulomoni and Wadzi Mandivenyi, South Africa L-R: Alexander Shestakov, CBD Secretariat; Clarissa Nina (Brazil), Chair of Working Group II; and Manoela Pessoa de Miranda, CBD Secretariat Catalina Santamaria, CBD Secretariat Worku Damena Yifru, CBD Secretariat Alexander Shestakov, CBD Secretariat Delegates from Working Group II in informal consultations L-R: Sujata Arora, Sanchita Chaudhary, Satya Gidda, and B. Meenakumari, India Manrique Altavista, Argentina Mitzi Gurgel Valente da Costa, Brazil Suwigaya Utama, Indonesia Sara Mashhadi Ali Akbar, Iran L-R: Fabiana Spinelli, Paula Scarone, Peter Deupmann, and Manoela Pessoa de Miranda, CBD Secretariat Ana Laura Mello, Uruguay Sorka Copa Romero, Bolivia Bayarkhuu Sandagdorj, Mongolia Hoang Thi Thanh Nhan, Viet Nam L-R: Worku Damena Yifru, CBD Secretariat; David Cooper, CBD Deputy Executive Secretary; COP 14 President Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt; and Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary COP 14 President Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt Charlotta Sörqvist, Sweden Spencer Thomas, Grenada L-R: Basma Saif Al-Amri, Saleh Al-Saadi, and Salim Samir, Oman Majlis Community Lounge of the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme L-R: Hussein Marai and Aisha Mohammed, artisans and weavers from Southern Egypt Anna Ali Gamec, local artist L-R: Marcos Regis Da Silva, Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research; Lily Rodriguez, International Union of Biological Sciences; and Yves Zinngrebe, Göttingen University, Germany L-R: Balakrishna Pisupati, Forum for Law, Environment, Development and Governance (FLEDGE); Timothy Hodges, McGill University; Suneetha Subramanian, UN University; and B. Meenakumari, India L-R: Gwen Sisior, Palau, and Nenenteiti Teariki-Ruatu, Kiribati L-R: Tamara Thomas, The Nature Conservancy, and Mae Bruton-Adams, Micronesia  

Displays around the venue remind delegates of the importance of biodiversity The following events were covered by IISD Reporting Services on Thursday, 22 November 2018: 15th Anniversary of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biodiversity China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) Post-2020 Biodiversity Conservation Seminar Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page 15th Anniversary of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biodiversity Presented by the CBD Secretariat, in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) View of the panel during the event This side event celebrated the 15th anniversary of the entry into force of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Key successes achieved under the Cartagena Protocol include: a fully operational Biosafety Clearing-House; progress made by Parties in the context of public awareness, education, and public participation regarding living modified organisms (LMOs) at the national level; the entry into force of the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress; and the growing experience by Parties in carrying out risk assessments and managing risks associated with the use, handling and transboundary movement of living modified organisms (LMOs). Ulrika Nilsson, CBD Secretariat, opened the celebration and moderated the event. Alex Owusu-Biney, Global Environment Facility (GEF) Coordination of the Division of Environmental Policy Implementation at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), underscored that the Cartagena Protocol sets out a comprehensive framework for international cooperation on the safety of transboundary movements of living modified organisms (LMOs) and strikes a balanced approach to meet the needs of consumers, industry and the environment. He noted that the precautionary principle is an essential component of the Cartagena Protocol as well as underscored that risk assessment processes, information sharing, public awareness and participation are key to fulfilling the Protocol’s objective of safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs. He noted that the UNEP-GEF capacity-building projects are divided among national, regional and thematic areas, highlighting the importance for Parties to the Cartagena Protocol to get well acquainted with their rights and obligations under the Protocol. He mentioned that capacity-building projects aim to: ensure a vibrant participation process; provide technical tools to support national decision making on biosafety; and disseminate recommendations, best practices and feedback to be used at the national level. Georgina M. Catacora-Vargas, Ministry of Environment and Water in Bolivia, showcased biosafety from an integral approach in reviewing the regulation of LMOs in Bolivia, and reported that legislation developed in 2009 forbids genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the country, in the context of international negotiations and country sovereignty. She highlighted that the Bolivian legislation does not allow the introduction of technological agricultural packages containing genetically modified seeds from species that the country is center of origin of or genetic diversity, as well as those that threaten the genetic patrimony, ecosystems and human health. Highlighting the ban on GMO-based food in schools, she referred to the country’s law that forbids activities related to genetically modified maize due to the risk of gene flow into native maize varieties. Ntakadzeni Tshidada, Department of Environmental Affairs in South Africa, highlighted that 100% of cotton and 95% of soybean in the country is genetically modified. She also pointed to the prevalence of GMO-derived medicines in South Africa’s market, including anti-cancer agents and vaccines. She noted that the country’s progress towards facilitating the establishment and further development of an effective biosafety system, stressing that South Africa’s 2005 National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) integrates biosafety activities. She underscored that the GMO Act provides for measures to promote the responsible production, use and application of GMOs. She further noted that several universities in South Africa have included biosafety in their curriculum, highlighting a study carried out to assess public perception of biotechnology and how this information can inform new biosafety strategies. Guy van den Eede, European Commission (EC), introduced a training programme launched by the EC’s Joint Research Centre, in 2000, to assist EU Member States and developing countries to address analytical challenges required to implement the requirements of the EU regulatory framework on GMOs. He also highlighted achievements of the ‘Global Harmonization of GMO Analysis Support to Regional Networking’ project, including: the establishment of new networks of GMO laboratories; regional testing projects and capacity-building initiatives; and the mapping of regional technical capacities. Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary, via a recorded video online, highlighted the successes of the Cartagena Protocol as a key achievement under the UN Convention on Biodiversity relating to LMOs, including: experience in detection and identification of LMOs; awareness raising; participation in decision making on socio-economic considerations; and risk assessment of LMOs. She urged everyone to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the entry into force of the Cartagena Protocol to further enhance its visibility and implementation. She noted that the resources to further celebrate the anniversary is available at https://bch.cbd.int/protocol/15thAnniversary.shtml Ho-Min Jang, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) hosting the Korea Biosafety Clearing House (KBCH) in the Republic of Korea, via a recorded video online, said the KBCH has played a catalytic role in the implementation of the Protocol. He noted that the country has approached, through the KBCH, other Asian countries to promote regional collaboration on biosafety issues. He stressed that such collaborative initiatives will enhance the global implementation of the Protocol. Guy van den Eede, European Commission Ntakadzeni Tshidada, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa Alex Owusu-Biney, UNEP-GEF Biosafety Projects Georgina Catacora-Vargas, Ministry of Environment and Water, Bolivia Ulrika Nilsson, CBD Secretariat Ho-Min Jang, KBCH, Republic of Korea (via video message) Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary (via video message) CONTACT Ulrika Nilsson | ulrika.nilsson@cbd.int MORE INFORMATION https://bch.cbd.int/protocol/15thAnniversary.shtml China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development Post-2020 Biodiversity Conservation Seminar Presented by the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), the Chinese Academy of Sciences, WWF, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) The room was filled to capacity as delegates attend the event This side event, moderated by Li Lin, WWF International, discussed the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework and associated implementation mechanisms of the CCICED Special Policy Study (SPS) project. The aim of the event was to generate discussion from Parties and other stakeholders for recommendations to the Chinese government in preparation for the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 15), which will take place in Beijing, China, in 2020. Arthur Hanson, CCICED, described the structure of the CCICED and noted the Council’s hybrid organization involving the advisory role of members of the international community. He stressed that the objective of the side event is to receive recommendations to “ratchet up” the work of the CBD for the next COP to develop a robust Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework. Keping Ma, Chinese Academy of Sciences, discussed progress on the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework and its implementation. He noted the need to harmonize political engagement, which can be achieved through a biodiversity summit and having champions for nature, underscoring the importance of building strong synergies with the other Rio Conventions and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also highlighted the need to promote the Sharm El-Sheikh to Beijing Action Agenda for Nature and People. Participants heard recommendations for a robust post-2020 Biodiversity Framework from experts engaged in pushing forward the biodiversity agenda internationally. Edda Veturia Fernández Luiselli, CBD National Focal Point, Mexico, stressed the need for boldness, thinking and acting outside the box. She urged for simplicity and inclusivity in engaging heads of state to the biodiversity agenda and suggested three main themes linking humans and nature: “what we eat,” “what we breathe” and “what we drink.” She pointed to the need for a “new economics,” which does not rely on the same methods for calculating biodiversity benefits. She also urged for the involvement of new audiences, including those working on world trade and with the business sector. Martha Mphatso Kalemba, CBD National Focal Point, Malawi, emphasized that mechanisms to achieve a full and effective participatory process in the development of the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework is required. She said effective communication will ensure that all levels of contributions, including local, regional and global, are effectively used. Inka Gnitkke, German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), urged that a diversity of actors, including CBD Parties, state actors and civil society, should be heard and involved for a strong post-2020 biodiversity agenda. She said a post-2020 agenda should be inclusive, transparent, gender-responsive and specific to achieving implementable outcomes. Jane Smart, IUCN, presenting IUCN’s position on the Framework, underscored that a new positive narrative is necessary. She urged for a Framework that: is completely aligned to the SDGs; facilitates inputs from all sectors; addresses importing impacts through trade flows; and ensures implementation of national targets that are mapped to global targets. Xu Jing, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES), shared insights from the week’s plenary discussions at the CBD COP, stressing the importance of: enhancing opportunities for consultation on biodiversity issues; linking biodiversity to climate, the SDGs, food security, trade, behavioral change and education; and promoting further capacity building and technology transfer. He also noted that COP 15 does not belong to China, but will require global collaboration to ensure a robust post-2020 agenda. On key aspects to be considered for a post-2020 biodiversity agenda and to inform China’s efforts towards transformative change, participants identified, inter alia: Addressing drivers of biodiversity loss; Ensuring ambitious national targets for COP 15; Ensuring embodied biodiversity loss that transcends national borders and reflects international investment and trade; Greening China’s Belt and Road Initiative; Prioritizing creative and implementable solutions that involve bringing local community voices into decision making; Engaging more deeply with the social sciences; Understanding the role of women in biodiversity conservation; Distinguishing China’s capacity to lead by example and by mobilizing collaboration to protect biodiversity; Engaging with Chinese civil society; and Respecting ownership rights of local communities. In reflecting on discussions, Hanson described China’s outlook for an “ecological civilization” as adding a political and cultural dimension to sustainable development and as a strategy which complements the SDGs to “live in harmony with nature.” Fang Li, CCICED, concluded by stressing China’s enthusiasm to collaborate in moving towards “a new era of ecological civilization.” Participants during the event Moderator Lin Li, WWF International Arthur Hanson, International Chief Advisor, CCICED Keping Ma, Chinese Academy of Sciences Jane Smart, IUCN Jing Xu, CRAES Edda Veturia Fernández Luiselli, CBD National Focal Point, Mexico Martha Mphatso Kalemba, CBD National Focal Point, Malawi, and Inke Gnitkke, BMU Fang Li, CCICED Delegates raise their hands to engage in the dialogue Delegates participate in an interactive dialogue CONTACT Liu Yinan | yinan@ibcas.ac.cn Wu Qiong | qwu@wwfchina.org MORE INFORMATION www.cciced.net/cciceden/ Around the Venue Egyptian security walk through the venue Delegates between sessions A photography display featuring biodiversity from around the world Materials on display around the building

At the close of the day, Jamison Ervin, UNDP (second from the left), invited all partners to the stage to mark the formal launch of the Global Partnership on Aichi Target 11. The sixth day at the Rio Conventions Pavilion focused on support for implementation of Protected Areas in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (Post-2020 Framework) and the long-term strategy for capacity building that will be adopted at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the CBD. The event marked the launch of the ‘Partnership for Achieving Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 with Attendant Multiple Benefits,’ a strengthened commitment to mobilize the global community around the implementation of Target 11. Throughout the day, six technical sessions and interactive discussions took place to discuss: Experiences from sub-regional implementation support networks; Protected Areas and synergies with other biodiversity-related conventions; Governance and other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs); Protected Areas as Natural Solutions; and Strengthening Protected Areas for the Future. In the evening, a reception took place to celebrate the formal launch of the Global Partnership on Aichi Target 11. The Day was co-organized by a network of partners including the CBD Secretariat, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), the IUCN Global Protected Areas Programme (GPAP) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the European Union. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Opening Session From L-R: Stefan Leiner, European Commission; Matthias Krause, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany; Yosuke Kuramoto, Japan; Tomas Anker Christensen, Chief Advisor to the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for the Ocean; and Kathy MacKinnon, International Union for Conservation of Nature-World Commission on Protected Areas (IUCN-WCPA) Sarat Babu Gidda, CBD Secretariat, and Tomas Anker Christensen, Chief Advisor to the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for the Ocean Kathy MacKinnon, IUCN-WCPA, with Yosuke Kuramoto, Japan   right: 0; padding: 10px 4px; font-size: 14px; color: #232323; line-height: 1.4; border-bottom: 1px solid #494949; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 10px; margin-top: -3px;">Alexander Shestakov, CBD Secretariat Tomas Anker Christensen, Chief Advisor to the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for the Ocean Kathy MacKinnon, IUCN-WCPA Stefan Leiner, European Commission Matthias Krause, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany Alan Boyd, South Africa, and Alexander Shestakov, CBD Secretariat Technical Session 1: Experiences from Sub-regional Implementation Support Networks Amanda Wheatley, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Clarissa Arida, Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) Ruchi Pant, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Technical Session 2: Experiences from Sub-regional Implementation Support Networks View of the dais during Techical Session 2 Imen Meliane, IUCN-WCPA Alan Boyd, South Africa Kathy Gregoire, Pronatura Mexico Monica Alvarez, Pronatura Mexico Technical Session 3: Protected Areas and Synergies Meriem Bouamrane, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Fernando Camacho, National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), Mexico María Rivera, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Secretariat Stuart Chape, SPREP Technical Session 4: Governance and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) Teddy Baguilat, Indigenous and Conserved Communities Area (ICCA) Consortium Ghanimat Azhdari, ICCA Consortium Harry Jonas, IUCN Terence Hay-Edie, UNDP Technical Session 5: Multiple Benefits: Protected Areas as Natural Solutions Neville Ash, UNEP-WCMC Nigel Dudley, IUCN-WCPA Jamison Ervin, UNDP Karen Keenleyside, IUCN-WCPA Technical Session 6: Strengthening Protected Areas for the Future Trevor Sandwith, IUCN Naomi Kingston, UNEP-WCMC Caiphus E. Khumalo, South Africa James Watson, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)  

The dais during plenary The second meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP2) to the Minamata Convention on Mercury met on Thursday, 22 November 2018. Delegates heard reports from contact groups in the morning, and adopted the rules of procedure for the Implementation and Compliance Committee in a brief plenary. They then met in contact groups throughout the day to consider: technical issues, including contaminated sites, interim storage, and harmonized customs codes; effectiveness evaluation; institutional issues pertaining to Secretariat arrangements; and budget and programme of work. A Friends of the President group on other outstanding issues also met during the day.In an evening plenary, the COP elected officers to the COP3 Bureau, and heard reports from contact groups.For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from COP2. Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page View of the plenary session Silvija Kalniņš, Latvia Nina Cromnier, Sweden Anahit Aleksandryan, Armenia Adly Manseri and Donatienne Monfort, Belgium Alejandra Acosta, Ana Corallo, and María Florencia Grimalt, Argentina Dhekra Charbi and Youssef Zidi, Tunisia Havanaby Mahezanony and Hanitriniaina Liliane Randrianomenjanahary, Madagascar Yingxian Xia, China, consulting with delegates from Nigeria, Mali and Gabon Seref Yilmaz, Mahmut Osmanbasoglu, and Bursev Dogan Artukoglu, Turkey Fidelice Mafumiko, Tanzania Marc Chardonnens, President, COP2, speaking with Franz Perrez and Felix Wertli, Switzerland Delegates during plenary Fredrick Mupoti Sikabongo, Namibia Margret Kaemba, Zambia Mohammed Khashashneh, Jordan, elected to the COP3 Bureau Contact Group on Technical Issues View of the contact group Karissa Kovner, US Diego Henrique Costa Pereira, Brazil The dais during the contact group Contact Group on Effectiveness Evaluation Contact Group Co-Chairs Karissa Kovner, US, and Kateřina Šebková, Czech Republic Obed Meringo Baloyi, South Africa, and John Mumbo, Kenya Christopher Allen, the EU View of the contact group Contact Group on Budget Claudia ten Have, Minamata Convention Secretariat Co-Chair Reginald Hernaus, the Netherlands The dias during the contact group Elisabeth Hosner, the EU Hutta Emig, Germany, and Aneta Willems, the EU Heidar Ali Balouji, Iran Claire Gouvary, France Contact Group on Institutional Issues Room view during the contact group Andrew Clark, US Gwen Goodier, Canada Around the Venue