Hyderabad: UN meet to discuss biodiversity strategy begins

Hyderabad: The UN biodiversity meeting that began here on Monday would discuss the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-20, its 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the status of biodiversity in world's oceans among others. The eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to be held from Monday, October 8 to October 19, would review issues like the progress of the strategic plan, process of integration of biodiversity conservation in national policies by governments, the Aichi targets, resource mobilisation, marine and coastal biodiversity and the ratification of Nagoya Protocol, CBD executive secretary Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias told reporters.

The strategic plan, a ten-year framework for action in support of implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and its 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets, have been established as the overall framework for biodiversity work in the United Nations system. The strategic plan was agreed at the COP 10 held at

Nagoya in Japan in 2010. In line with their commitments in Nagoya, countries

have been updating their national biodiversity strategies and action plans to achieve the Aichi Targets.

The strategic goals of the Aichi Targets include addressing the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society, reducing the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use, improving the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, enhancing the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem services. The status of biodiversity in the world's oceans will also be highlighted and a report on ecologically or biologically significant marine areas will be presented.

Discussions on various other threats to marine biodiversity like marine debris, ocean acidification will also take place. Against the backdrop of several countries in the world facing financial crisis, the conference would also discuss resource mobilisation for realising the targets of biodiversity conservation. Island states from around the world would convene a summit to discuss new commitments in support of island biodiversity.

Replying to a query, the executive secretary said six of the 50 ratifications required for the entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing have been deposited with the UN to date, with more expected before the

end of the year. The 50 ratifications are expected to take place by next COP in two years, he said. Noting that private sector needs to be more responsible in the way they conduct their businesses with regard to conservation of biodiversity, he said the sector can be an ally in conservation efforts.

The CBD had launched an initiative of involving local governments in biodiversity conservation two years ago. A report on cities and biodiversity would be launched at COP 11 and Bengaluru is one of the case studies. To another query, he said India is in the process of ratifying the Nagoya Protocol and the laws made by the country are compatible with what is being done by the CBD.