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Second Meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety 

30 May - 3 June 2005, Montreal, Canada 

 

 


 

 Earth Negotiations Bulletin - ENB

 

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 Mon 30

 Tue 31

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 Fri 3 & SUMMARY

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Highlights for Monday, 30 May 2005

 

The second meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP/MOP-2) opened on Monday, 30 May 2005, in Montreal, Canada. Delegates convened in plenary and working group sessions. Plenary heard opening statements and reports, and addressed organizational matters. Working Group I (WG-I) addressed the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH), and risk assessment and risk management. Working Group II (WG-II) considered capacity building, including the roster of experts, and notification requirements.

Above photo L-R: Ahmed Djoghlaf (UNEP), Hamdallah Zedan, CBD Executive Secretary, Suboh Mohammed Yassin, COP/MOP-2 President, Cyrie Sendashonga (CBD), Dan Ogolla (CBD) and Xueman Wang (CBD). 

 


PLENARY

OPENING STATEMENTS: 

 

 

 


COP/MOP-2 President Suboh Mohd Yassin, Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Malaysia, opened the meeting, calling on delegates to complete the programme of work of COP/MOP-2.


Ahmed Djoghlaf, on behalf of UNEP Executive Director Klaus Töpfer, said combating hunger and achieving food security are laudable goals in the context of development and biosafety.


CBD Executive Secretary Hamdallah Zedan noted 119 countries have ratified the Biosafety Protocol and thanked those supporting participation in COP/MOP-2 by developing countries.

 

 


Ethiopia, on behalf of the AFRICAN GROUP reported problems in the granting of visas and proposed further discussions on the issue. Above photo: Tewolde Egziabher (Ethiopia)


Referring to visa difficulties experienced by some delegations, CANADA assured that it would continue working with the Secretariat to ensure delegates may enter the country. 
Above photo: Barry Stemshorn (Canada)

 


The REPUBLIC OF KOREA reported on its progress towards ratifying the Protocol.
Above photo: Yoo Yeon-chul (Republic of Korea)


CHINA noted it
s recent ratification of the Biosafety Protocol and outlined national biosafety-related activities.  
Above photo: Chen Weixue (China)

 

 

 


The Netherlands, on behalf of the EU and BULGARIA, stessed that the main objective of the meeting should be to further the Protocol’s implementation, taking into account the interests of developing countries, and both exporter and importer countries. 
Above photo: Yvo de Boer (The Netherlands)


Kiribati, on behalf of the ASIA AND PACIFIC GROUP, expressed appreciation for progress on liability and redress and for the draft rules of procedure of the Compliance Committee. 
Above photo: Terei Abete-Reema (Kiribati)

 

 


BRAZIL reported on national implementation. 
Above photo: Hadil Fontes Da Rocha Vianna (Brazil)


India, on behalf of the LIKE-MINDED MEGADIVERSE COUNTRIES, emphasized: capacity building; the financial mechanism; notification; and the need to decide urgently on elements of documentation. 
Above photo: Suresh Chandra (India)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above photos L-R: Philip Dale, Public Research and Regulation Initiative, noted the lack of public research sector involvement in the Protocol’s negotiations; Akiko Frid, Greenpeace International,  presented a case of contamination in Japan involving genetically modified (GM) canola shipped from Canada; Klaus Schumacher, the International Grain Trade Coalition, expressed concern regarding the Protocol’s impacts on the efficiency and cost of bulk trade in commodities; Simon Barber, the Global Industry Coalition, said capacity building is critical for the Protocol’s implementation, and expressed concern that few import decisions and risk assessments have been registered with the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH).

 

REPORTS: 

 

 

Compliance Committee:

Liability and redress:

Financial Mechanism:

 

 

 

Above photos L-R: Compliance Committee Chair Veit Koester (Denmark) introduced the report of the Committee’s first meeting, including its annexed draft rules of procedure and workplan submitted to the COP/MOP for approval; René Lefeber (the Netherlands), Co-Chair of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group of Legal and Technical Experts on liability and redress, reported on the meeting held in Montreal immediately prior to the COP/MOP-2; Mario Ramos, the Global Environment Facility, reported on its relevant activities.

 

 

WORKING GROUP I

 

 

 

 

 


Above photos L-R: The WG-I dais with Worku Damena Yifru (CBD), WG-I Chair Birthe Ivars (Norway), Kirsty Galloway Mclean (CBD) and Ryan Hill (CBD); WG-I Chair Ivars (Norway)


BIOSAFETY CLEARING-HOUSE:

 

 

 

 

 


The FAO described the International Portal on Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health, stressing FAO’s commitment to interoperability with the BCH. Above photo: Robert Ivess (FAO)


SWITZERLAND called for a focus on the structure and function of the BCH central portal.
Above photo: Albert Spielmann (Switzerland)


RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT:

 

 


UKRAINE said that guiding principles on risk assessment and management should include minimum requirements and allow for national-level flexibility. 
Above photo: Sergiy Gubar (Ukraine)


PANAMA supported establishing a subsidiary scientific body to elaborate guidelines on risk assessment and management. 
Above photo: Marisol Dimas (Panama)

 

 


WORKING GROUP II

 

 


Above photos L-R: WG-II Chair Orlando Santos (Cuba); WG-II dais with Yibin Xiang (CBD), Erie Tamale (CBD), WG-II Chair Santos and Xueman Wang (CBD)

 

 

CAPACITY BUILDING:

 

 

 


CAMEROON called for strengthening research for country assessments. Above photo: Mary Fosi Mbantenkhu (Cameroon)


The US recommended focusing on exports of LMO-FFPs and LMOs for research. Above photo: Claudia McMurray (US)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This service was prepared in cooperation with the CBD Secretariat