“Contributing to the Global Agenda: Biological and cultural diversity and the Millennium Development Goals” An Equator Initiative and IUCN global dialogue at the Barcelona Forum 2004 25-26 September 2004

Dialogues

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the UNDP’s Equator Initiative have joined efforts in to participate in, and support, the Barcelona Forum 2004. In addition to hosting a major exhibition on global conservation and poverty issues at the Forum, the Equator Initiative is also supporting an international Dialogue on biological and cultural diversity. The Dialogue itself builds upon the recent success of the “Community Kampung”, a communication and dialogue space on community conservation topics that was hosted in Kuala Lumpur at this year’s Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COPVII).

The Dialogue will provide an opportunity to discuss a series of questions and challenges around the conservation of biological and cultural diversity in the context of the Millennium Development Goals. For example, are there positive relationships between the growing “bio-cultural” approach to conservation and achievement of the MDGs? How can we address the linkages between cultural and biological diversity at the global, regional and local levels? What is the value in addressing cultural diversity and biological conservation as part of the global push to achieve the MDGs?

The first Dialogue session will be held Saturday, 25 September 2004 (9:30 – 11:00) and will explore the relationships between risk and global change, including globalization, security and global warming, and the impact of change on our capacity to reverse the loss of biodiversity and secure ecosystem integrity.

The second session of the Dialogue will be held on Saturday, 25 September 2004 (18:00 - 19:00) and will explore the circumstances under which the sustainable use and conservation of natural resources can meaningfully contribute to reducing poverty and improving peoples’ health and well-being.

The third session will be held Sunday, 26 September 2004 (Time TBA) and will highlight lessons learned from around the world land and seascape management based on the ecosystem approach.

The fourth and final session will be held Sunday, 26 September, 2004 (Time TBA) and will explore how markets can function more sustainably, how companies can aid in biodiversity conservation, and how new and eco-friendly businesses can be developed on the basis of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. This session will also investigate the role governments and other institutions can play in supporting communities to achieve economic development in ways that do not compromise environmental integrity.

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