|
To
view PDF files, you will need the free Adobe Reader
|
To
listen to Real Audio files, you will need the free Real Audio player
|
|
7th CONFERENCE
OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (COP-7)
Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia; 9-20 February 2004
Highlights
for Friday 13 February 2004
COP-7
delegates met throughout the day in two Working Groups (WGs). WG-I
considered the work programmes on inland water ecosystems and marine and
coastal biodiversity. WG-II discussed: scientific and technical
cooperation and the Clearing-house Mechanism (CHM); communication,
education and public awareness (CEPA); Article 8(j) (traditional
knowledge); financial resources and mechanism; and national reporting. A
brief Plenary was held in the afternoon. Contact groups on the budget,
access and benefit-sharing (ABS) and protected areas (PAs) also convened.
Above photo L-R: Tewolde
Berhan Gebre Eghziaber (Ethiopia) in discussion with Girma Balcha (Ethiopia).
|
Working Group I:
Inland Waters
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Peter
Bridgewater, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, highlighted its contribution
to the work programme on inland waters, and stressed the complementarity
between work under the CBD and Ramsar.
|
Senegal,
on behalf of AFRICA, stressed the need for inventories and
characterization of ecosystems for assessment purposes, and financial
resources. Above
photo: Demba Mamadou Ba (Senegal)
|
|
|
|
|
|
SWITZERLAND
stressed integrated water resource management programmes and advocated
harmonizing national reporting. Above
photo: Olivier Biber (Switzerland)
|
THAILAND
requested reference to exotic stocks of natively occurring species, and
genetically modified organisms. Above
photo: Jaranthada Karnasuta (Thailand)
|
Marine and
Coastal Biodiversity: |
|
|
|
|
|
UK favoured a
bottom-up approach to the establishment of networks or protected
areas, reflecting Parties' needs and circumstances. above photo:
Robert Canning (UK)
|
KIRIBATI
stressed community-based conservation, the development of new,
sustainable fishing practices and alternative livelihoods, and
training of scientists. Above photo: Nenenteiti Teariki-Ruaty
(Kiribati)
|
|
|
|
Working
Group II: Clearing-house Mechanism (CHM) |
|
Canada
requested an explanatory document on the linkages between the CHM
and taxonomic databases and, supported by many, expressed concern
on the disparities between Parties regarding electronic
communication capacities and national focal points. Left photo: David
Brackett (Canada)
|
|
|
|
|
Communication,
Educationa and Public Affairs (CEPA) |
|
|
|
|
|
Antigua
and Barbuda, for GRULAC, noted with concern the severe lack of funding for
CEPA activities and called for funding through the GEF.
Above photo: Diann Black-Layne (Antigua and Barbuda)
|
Malaysia noted that limited access to the internet makes the use of
web-based tools for activities in communication, education and public
awareness (CEPA) difficult for poor countries and proposed to distribute
hard-copies of the materials.
Above
photo L-R: N. Abdul Rahim and N. Manokaran (Malaysia) |
|
|
|
|
|
Jamaica requested new tools
for the development of local communication strategies. Elaine Fisher (Jamaica)
|
UNESCO underlined its commitment to support CEPA, stressing the
identification of best content and best approaches to establish programmes
for national level implementation. Above photo: Salvatore Arico
(UNESCO)
|
|
|
|
|
Contact Group:
|
|
|
|
|
ABS: Delegates
considered user measures without reaching consensus on bracketed references
to the work of, and relation with, WIPO. Regarding the international ABS
regime, discussion was held on the basis of a revised working document
including a draft decision and annexed terms of reference (TOR) for the ABS
Working Group. Delegates discussed the TOR and approved language on process
resulting from discussions in a drafting group. A Friends of the Chair group
was established to resolve differences regarding scope. On the elements,
they agreed on language regarding disclosure requirements in patent
applications. Agreement was also reached on decision language regarding
community participation.
|
Above photo L-R: Valerie Normand, François
Pythoud and David Hafashimana composed the dais of the contact group
on ABS.
|
|
PA: Delegates
worked into the night to discuss suggested activities for Parties to achieve
the work programme's element on standards, assessment and monitoring. Right
photo: Gijs Van Tol (CBD), Contact Group Chair Alfred Oteng Yeboah, and
Sarat Babu (CBD)
|
|
|
Side Event: Nordic Council of Minister and the European Commission
|
Access and Rights to Genetic Resources: Nordic Cooperation
|
|
|
Great interest for the
Nordic approach to genetic resources that drew a large attendance of more
than 90 delegates from 7th CBD COP in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Dr. Peter Johan Schei ( above right) from Norway chaired the event. Lise Lykke Steffensen from the Nordic Council of Ministers told
about the Nordic Council of Ministers' work on biodiversity and genetic
resources spanning already over three decades. Grethe Evjen from Norway and Christian Prip (above left) from
Denmark along with Morten Walloe Tvedt from the Fridtjof Nansen Institute
highlighted Nordic policy and ministerial decisions on access to plant,
farm animal, forest and wild genetic resources. Birthe Ivars provided an insight into work under way in Norway to
follow-up the Bonn guidelines. Christoph Bail and Nicola Notaro outlined the EC's approach
to the issues involved. Dr.
Lim from Malaysia and Brendan Tobin from the United Nations University
joined the speakers for the ensuing lively panel discussion.
|
|
|
|
|
For further
information please visit the Nordic Council of Minister's website
at www.norden.org
Left photo L-R: Kerstin Stendahl-Rechardt and Lise Lykke
Steffensen of the Nordic Council of Minister |
|
Links
ENB
Coverage and Summary (HTML,
PDF,
TEXT) of CBD COP-6
ENB
Coverage and Summary (HTML,
PDF,
TEXT) of ICCP-3
ENB
archives of CBD meetings
CBD web site
CBD
COP-7 official meeting documents
ENB
Coverage and
Summary (HTML,
PDF,
TEXT) of
SBSTTA-9
ENB
Coverage and
Summary (HTML,
PDF,
TEXT) of
ABS-WG2
ENB
Coverage and Summary
(HTML,
PDF,
TEXT) of
Article 8(j)-WG3
Global
Biodiversity Forum web site
CBD
PRESS Room
|