Minister Izabella Teixeira
talks about the need for change
28/10/2010
The establishment of a pact to implement
a Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing,
and reversing the growing loss of global
biodiversity are the
major themes that guide the discussions
of the Conference of Parties to the Convention
on Biological Diversity (COP-10) in Nagoya,
in Japan.
During her speech at
the High-Level Segment of the event on Wednesday
(October 27), Brazils minister of Environment,
Izabella Teixeira, emphasized his optimism
and expectation, although fearful, with
commitments to be undertaken by the international
community.
Ms. Teixeira said it's
time to provide answers, solutions and actions
for the meetings, otherwise there is risk
for them to become "endless and postponing
solutions to problems".
Over the past years,
there was a lack of relevant signals in
reducing biodiversity loss, but the available
indicators show a deteriorating global biological
diversity," she said.
According to Ms. Teixeira,
reverse the deterioration of biodiversity,
a result of human activity, requires an
unprecedented effort, with strong and determined
response of all global societies. "It
takes political will to change the patterns
in which different segments of society take
ownership of biodiversity resources."
The minister said that
Brazil is in Nagoya with the spirit of listening,
negotiating and understanding the perspectives
of nations with divergent views, and that
the country is willing to be flexible to
reach an agreement that may not be perfect,
but that can mean the consensus.
"It is time to
achieve good results. If we lose this opportunity,
in search of the perfect agreement, we will
indicate that we do not need a pact. We
can not give the world this message,"
she warned.
Ms. Teixeira also said
that besides the negotiation of a Protocol
on Access and Benefit Sharing, which is
essential to overcome the deficit in the
implementation of the Convention and to
combat biopiracy, Brazil is discussing a
new strategic plan for the post-2010 period
and a new strategy for resource mobilization.
+ More
Brazil to defend benefit-sharing
at COP-10
Brazil discusses with
nations from all continents new goals for
2020
18/10/2010
Representatives from 193 nations will join
from October 18 on the Japanese city of
Nagoya the discussions at the 10th Conference
of the Parties (COP-10), the Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD). The authorities
will deal with until the October 29th a
subject of high environmental and economic
interests around the world: the loss of
biodiversity.
As leader of megadiverse
countries (17 nations that have the highest
rate of biodiversity in the world), Brazil
will defend the implementation of commitments
made between nations to stem the loss of
biodiversity and extinction of species.
Although no signatory country has managed
to achieve the goals proposed by the CBD
in 2002, Brazil was the most protected areas
created in the last eight years, about 75%
of conservation areas throughout the planet,
according to the report GBO-3.
The country will try
to approve three priority items at COP-10:
the creation of an international regime
on access and benefit sharing from the use
of genetic resources, decisive in the fight
against biopiracy; the new overall strategic
plan of the CBD for the next ten years -
that will set new goals to protect and preserve
global biodiversity by 2020; and financial
resources for investments in projects related
to biodiversity.
According to the Brazilian
Ministry of the Environment (MMA, in Portuguese),
it is important to establish common intent,
but is useless if no goals are addressed
to the implementation of concrete actions.
The initiatives are dependent on financial
resources directed to actions such as technical
training and technology transfer.
On the new overall strategic
plan of the CBD in 2020, MMA estimates that
the targets should be more specific, and
that all sectors involved in the economy
of the signatory nations must engage to
achieve the goals proposed. Objectives include
the sustainable use of biological diversity
promotion, the expansion of protected areas,
benefit sharing and financial resources
necessary to block the growing loss of biodiversity.
According to the Secretary
of Biodiversity and Forests of the MMA,
Braulio Dias, issues related to biodiversity
must extrapolate the role of environmental
issues, as the sectors that destroy natural
resources are linked to the economy such
as agriculture, infrastructure and energy.
The secretary supports the engagement and
commitment of all economic and social stakeholders,
in addition to changing practices to halt
the loss of biodiversity.
Benefit-Sharing - The
focus of the debate over distribution of
benefits will be the payment by developed
countries of the royalties generated by
the trade in products that use raw materials
derived from genetic resources of developing
nations.
If the protocol for
access and benefit sharing was approved,
pharmaceutical, biotechnology and agriculture
companies, for example, would have more
clearly defined obligations to transfer
financial resources to people and communities
holders of traditional knowledge related
to plants and animals.
During the meeting in
Japan, the countries members of the COP-10
will discuss other important issues such
as global strategy for plant conservation,
the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and
the International Platform on Biodiversity
and Ecosystem Services.
The working groups set up during the convention
will discuss also the biodiversity in protected
areas, coastal areas, mountains, sea water,
REDD+ (new mechanisms to prevent burning
and deforestation) and biofuels, among other
topics.
Convention on Biological Diversity - The
Convention was opened for signature in 1992,
but without defined goals and strategic
plan. Thus, the countries have established
as a "framework agreement" designed
to establish principles. By 2002, nations
agreed on the first strategic plan for 2010,
which will now be replaced by a new plan
targets set for 2020.
Although the Convention
was important to negotiate and establish
a global agenda and points of consensus,
there is a passive implementation of the
CBD goals. As proof, the UNEP report - GBO3
indicates that the goals adopted for 2010
were not achieved.
Brazil will defend Japan
in the idea that biodiversity is treated
beyond the environmental sphere, throughout
society, businesses and industries that
work with development projects, which may
incorporate biodiversity conservation into
their policies.
