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United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD): How far it is successful in Saving Bio-Diversity?

It was United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), an organisation under United Nations realized that we should focus on to conserve and sustainable use of biodiversity, as we are intimately connected with it and today it is on the verge of loss. During United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Earth Summit in 1992, UNEP presented a draft-agreement (adopted at Nairobi Conference, May 1992) for biodiversity and convinced various countries to sign it. This international agreement adopted at the Earth Summit to protect biodiversity across the world is known as “Convention on Biological Diversity.”



CBD is a legally binding multilateral treaty that entered into force on 29 December 1993 and provides a global legal framework that covers all aspects of biodiversity: ecosystems, species and genetic resources. It is the first international law which recognized that conservation and protection of biodiversity is the common concern of humankind and vital part of sustainable development process. CBD secretariat is located at Montreal, Canada and it runs under UNEP. At present, there are 196 parties and 168 signatories to the convention (Although United States of America has not ratified it, but signed). India is also a part of the convention.


Objectives

The UNCBD has three main goals

v  Conservation of biological diversity.

v  Sustainable use of its components and

v  Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources including appropriate access to the genetic resources by relevant technologies transfer and considering about all the rights over those genetic resources and technologies, and also by funding.

Development of national strategies, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity resources is the main idea of CBD.

Conference of the Parties (COPs)

The Conference of the Parties is the governing body of CBD which consists of all the governments that have ratified the treaty. The meeting takes place every two year to review progress, set priorities, to adopt programmes of work and provide policy guidance.  So far, 14 COPs have taken place and the fifteenth one will take place in Kunming, China, date to be announced. Earlier COP 15 was scheduled to take place from 15-28 October 2020 but in the light of pandemic COVID-19 it would be adjusted. It will review the progress of the implementation of convention and is anticipated to take final decision on the post 2020 global biodiversity framework, together with decisions on associated topics including capacity building and resource mobilization.



The COP is aided by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), which has government representatives with expertise in relevant fields and has an important role in making recommendations to the COP on scientific and technical issues.

Global Biodiversity Framework

The year 2010 is known as the International year of biodiversity. In October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan at the 10th COP, all parties to the convention adopted a 10 year framework formally known as the “Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020” to address the issue of biodiversity loss over the next decade. It provided a set of 20 ambitious targets, called as the “Aichi Targets for Biodiversity.” The Aichi targets are:-

o    Strategic Goal A: Address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society

o    Strategic Goal B: Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use.

o    Strategic Goal C: To improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity

o    Strategic Goal D: Enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem services

o    Strategic Goal E: Enhance implementation through participatory planning, knowledge management and capacity building.

 

Protocols of CBD

The two protocols linked to CBD are NagoyaProtocol and Cartagenaprotocol on Biosafety.

Significance of CBD

v  Safeguarding the intrinsic value of biodiversity

v  CBD puts obligation on the member parties to conserve and protect the biodiversity

v  CBD acknowledged the important role of local communities and women in the protection, conservation and sustainable use of biological resources.

v   According to Article 6 of CBD there is need to develop National strategies, plans or programs for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, or adapt for this purpose existing Strategies and plans.

v  The convention recognizes the conservation of biological diversity as the common concern of humankind

 

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