Biodiversity COP11: Key Outcomes
Interview with Shri Hem
Pande, Additional Secretary MoEF
Sanskriti Menon, Programme Director, CEE Central Regional Cell
and CEE Urban
 |
| Shri Hem Pande, Additional Secretary, MoEF |
What are some of the key
outcomes of COP 11 from India’s point of view?
India
successfully hosted the eleventh CoP to the CBD, and the sixth Conference of
the Parties serving as Meeting of the Parties (CoP/MoP-6) to the CBD’s
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in Hyderabad from 1-19 October, 2012. The event
provided India with an opportunity to consolidate, scale-up and showcase our initiatives
and strengths on biodiversity.
CBD CoP-11
adopted 33 decisions on a range of strategic, substantive, administrative,
financial and budgetary issues. These include: the status of the Nagoya
Protocol on access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing (ABS);
implementation of the Strategic Plan 2011-2020 and progress towards the Aichi
biodiversity targets; and implementation of the Strategy for Resource Mobilization;
issues related to financial resources and the financial mechanism; cooperation,
outreach and the UN Decade on Biodiversity; operations of the Convention; and
administrative and budgetary matters. Delegates also addressed: ecosystem
restoration; Article 8(j) (traditional knowledge); marine and coastal
biodiversity; biodiversity and climate change; biodiversity and development;
and several other ecosystem-related and cross-cutting issues.
India is
quite satisfied with the outcomes of these meetings.We are particularly happy
with the meaningful decision on resource mobilization of doubling the total
biodiversity-related international financial resource flows to developing countries
by 2015 and
at least maintaining this level until 2020. This is a significant achievement that would
add confidence to this process and hopefully assist developing countries in
their efforts to protect biodiversity.
Some other
contentious issues which yielded good outcomes during CoP-11 are: geo-engineering,
guidance on safeguards for biodiversity with regard to REDD+, and marine and
coastal biodiversity.
The decision
to have a third meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee on Nagoya Protocol
(ICNP-3), alongwith intersessional work on outstanding issues, as well as
supporting initiatives to promote ratification and early entry into force and
implementation of the Nagoya Protocol is also an important outcome.
The UNGA
has since also adopted a resolution on ‘Implementation of Convention on
Biological Diversity and its contribution to sustainable development’
highlighting the achievements of CoP-11.
India holds the Presidency
for the Convention for the years 2013 and 14, till the next COP. Which are some
of the priority areas that India would seek to further develop in the duration
of the Presidency?
In its
two-year term as the CoP Presidency, India would like to see progress on the
delivery of decisions adopted at CoP-11 and CoP-MoP-6. After the important set
of decisions taken
in COP-10 and
COP-11, the priority for the international community must now be on
Implementation. India looks forward to the continued support of all the Parties
in this regard.
We would
also like to work towards encouraging Parties
to expedite ratification of the Nagoya Protocol, so that
the requisite number of ratifications are received in time for the first
CoP-MoP of the Protocol to be held concurrently with CoP-12. Expeditious
ratification and entry into force of the Protocol and implementation of its
provisions related to Access and Benefit Sharing are important key
deliverables.
At CoP-11,
a call was made to Parties and other stakeholders by the Executive Secretary,
CBD to pledge urgent action towards achieving Aichi Biodiversity Targets and
become one of several Biodiversity Champions. While inaugurating the High Level
Segment, the Prime Minister of India has announced the earmarking of a sum of
US$ 50 million during India’s Presidency of CoP to strengthen institutional
mechanisms, enhance technical and human capabilities for biodiversity
conservation in India, and to promote similar capacity building in other
developing countries.
India would
like to see other governments join the Hyderabad Call for Action on
Biodiversity, by pledging support for biodiversity at domestic, regional or
global levels. Towards
this
a joint letter signed by the Minister for Environment and Forests as the CoP-11
President and Executive Secretary, CBD Secretariat has been sent to Ministers
in charge of all countries.
Some of the
other initiatives taken by India in the run-up and during CoP-11 could also be
worthy of emulation and follow- up. The brand Ambassador of CoP-11, namely the
Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS) train, an innovative mobile
exhibition mounted on a specially designed 16 coach AC train which traveled
across India from 5th June to 22nd December 2012. This train received over 2.3
million visitors in its journey and played a key role in creating awareness
about biodiversity in the country. After the resounding success of SEBS, the
possibility to increase the reach of this train to even more remote corners of
the country to increase awareness on biodiversity is being explored. Many
visiting CoP-11 delegates who visited SEBS in Hyderabad during CoP-11 expressed
desire for something similar in their countries.
India has
also decided to establish a Biodiversity Museum and a Garden in Hyderabad at the
site where our Prime Minister unveiled a commemorative Pylon during CoP-11. The
Prime Minister planted the first tree on behalf of India. Representatives of
the participating countries at CoP-11 also planted trees. Hyderabad is the
first host city of CBD CoP to establish commemorative Pylon, garden and museum.
India would
like to play a leadership role during her Presidency by supporting and hosting
capacity building in the developing countries. We have offered to host
inter-sessional meetings such as the meeting of the Inter Governmental
Committee of Nagoya Protocol, expert meeting on biodiversity and poverty
eradication, capacity building workshops of developing countries to help them
take legislative/administrative measures, and regional/subregional workshops on
protected areas etc.
We have
also offered to meet part of the cost of the meeting of the Working Group on
Art. 8j on Traditional Knowledge.
We would
continue to work proactively at the national level as well in our continued
quest for mainstreaming biodiversity conversation and protection.
What are some of the key
outcomes as regards Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) efforts? What
are the specific areas that ESD professionals should focus on to help achieve
the Aichi Targets in the coming years?
Target 1 of
the Aichi Biodiversity Targets is about making people aware of the values of
biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainably.
Addressing
the direct and underlying drivers of biodiversity
loss will ultimately require behavioral change by
individuals, organizations and governments. Understanding, awareness and
appreciation of the diverse values of biodiversity, underpin the willingness of
individuals to make the necessary changes and actions and to create the
“political will” for governments to act.
Given this,
actions taken towards this target will greatly facilitate the implementation of
the Strategic Plan and the fulfillment of the other 19 Aichi Targets,
particularly Target 2.
The
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) efforts would play an important
role in achieving this target, which in turn would help in contributing to
achieving other Aichi targets.
Biodiversity
is not widely understood and as a result its economic, social and environmental
importance is often poorly recognized. The values of biodiversity, should be
interpreted in the broadest sense, including environmental, cultural, economic
and intrinsic values.
While a
better understanding of the values of biodiversity is important in building the
motivation for action, it is not enough. Individuals also need to be aware of
the types of actions they themselves can take in order to conserve and sustainably
use biodiversity. Different segments of society can take different actions
depending on the types of activities they have control or influence over. Such
information can help to empower individuals to take action. The target 1
applies to all people in society.
In order to
progress towards this target, Parties will need to develop and implement
coherent, strategic and sustained communication, education and public awareness
efforts. Different types of education and public awareness activities or campaigns
will be needed to reach the different audiences in a country as activities
which are effective for one group, may not be for others.
Learning
occurs in formal contexts of learning, such as in schools and universities, as
well as in informal contexts, such as through the guidance of elders, as well
as in museums and parks, and through films, television and literature. Learning
also occurs through participation in events and other opportunities for
information exchange between stakeholders. Therefore there are a variety of
communication and outreach vehicles which could be used. Where possible,
awareness and learning about the values of biodiversity should be linked to and
mainstreamed into the principles and messages of education for sustainable
development.
The
Convention’s Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) programme is
an important instrument for this target. The establishment of the United
Nations Decade on Biodiversity by the United Nations General Assembly
represents an opportunity, throughout the implementation period of the
Strategic Plan, to link national awareness raising activities with a broader
international process as a means of developing greater visibility and traction
for such actions. Likewise the International Day for Biodiversity, on 22 May,
provides a similar opportunity.
For more information contact:
Hem Pande,
Additional Secretary
Ministry of
Environment and Forests
Room No.
622, Paryavaran Bhawan
CGO
Complex, Lodi Road, New Delhi - 110 003
Telefax:
011-24361308, 24363967
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