Biodiversity > Priority Areas
> Access & Benefit Sharing and Traditional Knowledge

Summary Note

UNDP has been actively involved, as an Implementing Agency of the GEF, in providing assistance to countries in relation to the CBD.  UNDP has supported over 90 countries in preparing their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, and is currently assisting over 50 countries in assessing their capacity with regard to 7 priority areas identified by the CBD COP, among which are Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and Traditional Knowledge (TK). Eighteen countries are currently undertaking capacity assessments for ABS while 26 countries are assessing their capacity with regard to TK.

A first set of country capacity assessment reports has been received, and UNDP has undertaken a preliminary analysis of 13 national capacity assessments prepared thus far on ABS and TK. In addition, the UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), which operates in 73 countries, has funded a growing number of small grants projects that address with TK and ABS issues. A Side Event at the 7th COP will present some of the findings of the Capacity Assessments undertaken by countries and provide a forum for discussion of the common capacity constraints and priority areas for capacity building identified by countries in relation to TK and ABS, including some of the following aspects:

1. Awareness/valuation programmes: focusing on the need to increase awareness of stakeholders and policy makers about the value and potential benefits of biodiversity;
2. Stakeholder participation: recognizing that stakeholder participation is insufficient at present in many countries and needs to be enhanced through awareness raising, capacity building, and through an emphasis on trust and transparency;
3. Regulatory coordination: the need to address overlapping jurisdictional mandates and develop mechanisms for effective coordination;
4. Establishing procedures and institutions to process requests for access and Free Prior Informed Consent;
5. Training for government officials, policy-makers and stakeholders on ABS issues and procedures.
6. Legislative frameworks: the need to draft and implement laws & regulations on equitable benefit sharing;
7. Inclusion of communities surrounding Protected Areas (PAs) in sharing the benefits derived from PA resources;
8. Bioprospecting: countries recommended development of model agreements as a short-term measure with drafting of legislation in the long-term;
9. Model agreements: recognizing that most model agreements are created on a case-by-case basis and standard procedures still need to be established for requiring FPIC and equitable sharing.

A comparative analysis undertaken by UNDP will be presented, along with selected country presentations on their experience and findings with respect to the key issues for capacity building in relation to ABS and TK. The Side Event will also allow a forum for discussion on key priorities and common constraints identified by countries. UNDP will be integrating the findings regarding capacity needs into its ongoing activities and in the design of planned activities to support participating countries.

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