CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) resulted from the recognition that damage to biodiversity can only be effectively dealt with in a comprehensive manner, rather than through a variety of individual treaties dealing with specific species or habitats.
The CBD has been signed by some 168 nationsThe CBD has three main objectives:
>> The conservation of biodiversity;
>> The sustainable use of its components;
>> The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from genetic resources.The CBD represents a framework for future action. It adopts a 'country-driven' approach, with implementation dependent on national circumstances. It allows for the further development of its provisions through decisions taken at regular meetings of the parties and through the elaboration of further annexes and protocols to the Convention.
The CBD addresses both in-situ and ex-situ conservation, but the emphasis is given to in-situ measures. In-situ conservation focuses on conserving genes, species and ecosystems in their natural surroundings, for example by establishing protected areas, rehabilitating degraded ecosystems, and adopting legislation to protect threatened species. While prioritizing in-situ conservation, the CBD recognizes the contribution that ex-situ facilities and measures, such as gene banks and botanic gardens, can make to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. It specifies that, wherever possible, facilities for ex-situ conservation should be established and maintained in the country of origin of the biological resources concerned.
The CBD provides for scientific and technical co-operation to support the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. A clearing-house mechanism has been established to promote and facilitate such co-operation. These provisions on scientific and technical co-operation provide a basis for capacity-building activities. In addition to general provisions on research and training and the exchange of knowledge and information, the CBD offers developing country parties potential benefits through: access to genetic resources and benefit sharing; access to and transfer of relevant technology, including biotechnology; and access to financial resources for eligible projects, and to bilateral assistance from developed country parties for implementation of the Convention.
The CBD recognizes both the precautionary and ecosystem approaches to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The ecosystem approach requires consideration of the complexity of ecosystems, including their biological and non-biological components, their ecological processes and any interactions with humans.
A workshop on the strategic plan of the CBD was held in May 2001. It concluded that the vision to be achieved by 2010 is:
>> To effectively reverse current trends in the loss of biodiversity, at the global and national levels;
>> To considerably reduce the incidence and impacts of unsustainable biodiversity use;
>> To equitably share the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.The work of the CBD follows five broad thematic work programmes, defined according to the various major ecosystem types: marine and coastal biodiversity, agricultural biodiversity, forest biodiversity, the biodiversity of inland waters, and dry and sub-humid lands. Additional work addresses cross-cutting issues of relevance to all thematic areas. For example, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety adopted by the CBD is the first legally binding international agreement designed to address modern biotechnology and to govern the international movement of living modified organisms (LMO's).
Online resources:
www.biodiv.org / www.undp.org/bpsp
Information on National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans
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