Today is Monday, the 18th of October 2010. Delegates from world over are in Nagoya, Japan for the 10th meeting (COP10) of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Their intention is to agree on a 20-point plan for the next decade following the comprehensive failure of any government to meet previous targets set out in 2002.
The intention is to come together to shape and agree on a global strategy and instruments to protect biodiversity that would make the value of biodiversity central all human initiatives and development. The meeting lasts from today the 18th of October to the 29th of October 2010. Over 15,000 participants representing the 193 countries and their partners, the highest number ever recorded for such a meeting, will meet to finalize the negotiation on a new Strategic Plan on biodiversity for the period 2011-2020 with a biodiversity vision for 2050. The adoption of a new protocol on access and benefit sharing will be a key instrument at the service of this new biodiversity vision. The agreement will be submitted to the high-level segment of the Conference, to be held with the participation of five Heads of State and 130 ministers of the environment.
“In launching the International Year of Biodiversity the United Nations Secretary General stated earlier this year, that business as usual is no longer an option,” said Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. “The time to act is now and the place to act is here at the Aichi-Nagoya Biodiversity Summit.”
You can find the list of participants Here
What is the Convention on Biological Diversity?
The U.N.’s Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a legally-binding treaty consisting of 193 members or “Parties” (192 governments plus the European Union) (168 signatures).
It was set up at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and came into force in December 1993.
The Convention seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through scientific assessments, the development of tools, incentives and processes, the transfer of technologies and good practices and the full and active involvement of relevant stakeholders including indigenous and local communities, youth, NGOs, women and the business community.
Message from Misia Honorary Ambassador for the COP10
Good luck Earth! I do hope the world’s leaders are paying heed to your S.O.S and there will be concrete decisions & actions as a result of this meeting. After all one reality that we all can agree on is, there is but one Earth…
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