Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

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• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity
• Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
• NAGOYA Protocol to CBD
• CBD-COP15: Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework (Dec 2022)
• Commemorative Periods
• Report: Global Biodiversity Outlook
• Pollinators and Associated Issues
• IPBES Global Assessment of Pollinators
• About Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
• About “The Global Coalition of the Willing on Pollinators)
• World Bee Day: 20th May
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered SPecies (CITES) On WIld Flora and Fauna
• Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention – CMS)

• Introduction
  • The CBD is a multilateral treaty which was approved in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio and came into force on 29 Dec, 1993.
    • NOTE: Other two convention finalized at Rio summit included UNFCCC and UNCCD.
  • It has 3 main objectives:
    • The conservation of Biodiversity.
    • The sustainable use of the component of biodiversity.
    • The fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
  • Membership
    • As of Feb 2022, 196 countries were parties to convention.
    • India ratified CBD in 1994.
    • USA – signed the convention in 1993, but has not ratified it.
• Key provisions
  • The Convention requires governments to undertake to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity. They are required to develop national biodiversity strategies and action plans and to integrate these into broader national laws for environment and development
  • Key treaty commitments include
    1. Identifying and monitoring important components of biological diversity.
    2. Establishing protected areas to conserve biodiversity while promoting environmentally sound development around the area.
    3. Rehabilitating degraded ecosystems and promoting recovery of threatened species in collaboration with local residents
    4. Respecting, preserving and maintaining traditional knowledge of the sustainable use of biodiversity with the involvement of indigenous people and local communities.
    5. Preventing introduction of, controlling and eradicating alien species that could threaten ecosystems, habitats or species.
    6. Controlling the risks posed by GM Organisms.
    7. Promoting public participation, educating people and raising awareness regarding the significance of biodiversity.
    8. Reporting on how countries are meeting biodiversity goals

1) CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

• Introduction
  • It is an international agreement which aims to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health.
  • The protocol makes it clear that products from new technologies must be based on the precautionary principle and allow developing nations to balance public health against economic benefits.
  • It was the first international regulatory framework on safer transfer, handling and use of LMOs.
  • It was adopted in 2000 and entered into force on 11th Sep 2003.
  • The protocol promotes biosafety by establishing rules and procedures for the safe transfer, handling, and use of LMOs.
• Advanced Information Agreement
  • The Cartagena Protocol provides for Advanced information agreement (AIA) procedure for ensuring that countries are provided with the information necessary to make decisions before agreeing to the import of such organisms into their territory.
• Biosafety Clearing House is established by the protocol to facilitate the exchange of information on LMOs and to assist countries in the implementation of the Protocol.

2) NAGOYA-KUALA LUMPUR SUPPLEMENTARY PROTOCOL ON LIABILITY AND REDRESS TO THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY

• Liability and redress in the context of Cartagena Protocol concerns the question of what would happen if the trans-boundary movement of LMO has caused damage.
• It provides international rules and procedures on liability and redress for damage to biodiversity resulting from LMOs.
• India ratified in 2014

3) NAGOYA PROTOCOL TO CBD

• What is Nagoya Protocol and what is its objective?
  • The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their utilization (ABS) to the CBD is a supplementary agreement to the CBD.
  • It provides a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of one of the three objectives of the CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
  • The Nagoya Protocol on ABS was adopted on 29 October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan and entered into force on 12 October 2014.
• Significance of Nagoya Protocol
  • Creates greater legal certainty and transparency for both providers and users of genetic resources by:
    • Establishing more predictable conditions for access to genetic resources
    • Helping to ensure benefit sharing when genetic resource leave the country providing the genetic resources.
• What is covered by NP?
  • Genetic resources that are covered by CBD and benefits arising from their
    • It also covers traditional knowledge (TK) associated with genetic resources that are covered by CBD and the benefits arising from its utilization.
• Core Obligations of Nagoya Protocol wrt Genetic Resources
  • Access Obligation
    • Parties have to take domestic level access measures
  • Benefit Sharing Obligation
    • Domestic level benefit sharing measures are to provide for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources with the contracting party providing genetic resources
• Compliance Obligation
  • Specific obligations to support compliance with the domestic legislation or regulatory requirements of contracting party providing genetic resources , compliance with mutually agreed terms
• What is the Access and Benefit-sharing Clearing House?
  • The ABS clearing house is a platform for exchanging information on access and benefit sharing established by Article 14 of the Protocol, as part of the clearing house of the Convention.
  • It is one of the key tool in facilitating implementation of the Nagoya Protocol, by enhancing legal certainly and transparency on procedures for access and benefit-sharing and for monitoring the utilization of genetic resources along the value chain, including through internationally recognized certificates of compliance.

4) CBD-COP15: KUNMING-MONTREAL BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORK (DEC 2022)

• After multiple delays due to COVID-19, nearly 200 countries at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Montreal sealed a landmark deal – The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), with four goals and 23 action oriented targets.
• Some Facts about COP15:
  • COP15 was held in Montreal, Canada. It was chaired by China and hosted by Canada.
  • It resulted in the adoption of The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) which replaces the Aichi Biodiversity targets set in 2010.
• Key Features:
  • Four Goals and 23 action-oriented targets were adopted.
  • Four Goals:

GOAL A

• • • The integrity, connectivity and resilience of all ecosystems are maintained , enhanced, or restored, substantially increasing the area of natural ecosystems by 2050;
    • Human induced extinction of known threatened species is halted, and, by 2050, extinction rate and risk of all species are reduced tenfold, and the abundance of native wild species is increased to healthy and resilient levels;
    • The genetic diversity within populations of wild and domesticated species ,is maintained, safeguarding their adaptive potential.

GOAL B

• • • Biodiversity is sustainably used and managed and nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services, are valued, maintained and enhanced, with those currently in decline being restored, supporting the achievement of sustainable development, for the benefit of present and future generations by 2050.

GOAL C

• • • The monetary and non-monetary benefits from the utilization of genetic resources, and digital sequence information on genetic resources, and of traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, as applicable, are shared fairly and equitably, including, as appropriate with indigenous peoples and local communities, and substantially increased by 2050, while ensuring traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources is appropriately protected, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, in accordance with internationally agreed access and benefit-sharing instruments.

GOAL D

• • • Adequate means of implementation, including financial resources, capacity-building, technical and scientific cooperation, and access to and transfer of technology to fully implement the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework are secured and equitably accessible to all Parties, especially developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition, progressively closing the biodiversity finance gap of $700 billion per year, and aligning financial flows with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity.

23 Targets:

• • TARGET 1: Bring the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance, including ecosystems of high ecological integrity, close to zero by 2030, while respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.
  • TARGET 2: Ensure that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of areas of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine ecosystems are under effective restoration,
  • TARGET 3 (commonly called 30X30): Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water, and of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures.
    • Note: Currently, 17% of terrestrial and 10% of marine areas are protected.
    • Note: Countries are not individually required to attain the 30X30 target.
  • TARGET 4: Ensure urgent management actions, to halt human induced extinction of known threatened species and for the recovery and conservation of species, in particular threatened species,
  • TARGET 5: Ensure that the use, harvesting and trade of wild species is sustainable, safe and legal,
  • TARGET 6: Eliminate, minimize, reduce and or mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity and ecosystem services; reducing the rates of introduction and establishment of other known or potential invasive alien species by at least 50 percent, by 2030, eradicating or controlling invasive alien species especially in priority sites, such as islands.
  • TARGET 7: Reduce pollution risks and the negative impact of pollution from all sources, by 2030, to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, considering cumulative effects.
  • TARGET 8: Minimize the impact of climate change and ocean acidification on biodiversity and increase its resilience through mitigation, adaptation, and disaster risk reduction actions,
  • TARGET 9: Ensure that the management and use of wild species are sustainable, thereby providing social, economic and environmental benefits for people, especially those in vulnerable situations and those most dependent on biodiversity,
  • TARGET 10: Ensure that areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry are managed sustainably,
  • TARGET 11: Restore, maintain and enhance nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services,
  • TARGET 12: Significantly increase the area and quality and connectivity of, access to, and benefits from green and blue spaces in urban and densely populated areas sustainably
  • TARGET 13: Take effective legal, policy, administrative and capacity-building measures at all levels, as appropriate, to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits that arise from the utilization of genetic resources and from digital sequence information on genetic resources, as well as traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, and facilitating appropriate access to genetic resources, and by 2030 facilitating a significant increase of the benefits shared, in accordance with applicable international access and benefit-sharing instruments.
  • TARGET 14: Ensure the full integration of biodiversity and its multiple values into policies, regulations, planning and development processes, poverty eradication strategies, strategic environmental assessments, environmental impact assessments and, as appropriate, national accounting, within and across all levels of government and across all sectors, in particular those with significant impacts on biodiversity, progressively aligning all relevant public and private activities, fiscal and financial flows with the goals and targets of this framework.
  • TARGET 15: Take legal, administrative or policy measures to encourage and enable business, and in particular to ensure that large and transnational companies and financial institutions:
    • Regularly monitor, assess, and transparently disclose their risks, dependencies and impacts on biodiversity including with requirements for all large as well as transnational companies and financial institutions along their operations, supply and value chains and portfolios;
    • Provide information needed to consumers to promote sustainable consumption patterns;
    • Report on compliance with access and benefit-sharing regulations and measures, as applicable; in order to progressively reduce negative impacts on biodiversity, increase positive impacts, reduce biodiversity-related risks to business and financial institutions, and promote actions to ensure sustainable patterns of production.
  • TARGET 16: Ensure that people are encouraged and enabled to make sustainable consumption choices including by establishing supportive policy, legislative or regulatory frameworks, improving education and access to relevant and accurate information and alternatives, and by 2030, reduce the global footprint of consumption in an equitable manner, halve global food wast
  • TARGET 17: Establish, strengthen capacity for, and implement in all countries in biosafety measures as set out in Article 8(g) of the Convention on Biological Diversity and measures for the handling of biotechnology and distribution of its benefits as set out in Article 19 of the
  • TARGET 18: Identify by 2025, and eliminate, phase out or reform incentives, including subsidies harmful for biodiversity, in a proportionate, just, fair, effective, and equitable way, while substantially and progressively reducing them by at least 500 billion US$per year by 2030, starting with the most harmful incentives, and scale up positive incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
  • TARGET 19: Substantially and progressively increase the level of financial resources from all sources, in an effective, timely and easily accessible manner, including domestic, international, public and private resources, in accordance with Article 20 of the Convention, to implement national biodiversity strategies and action plans, by 2030 mobilizing at least 200 billion United States dollars per year.
    • Financial Package to poor countries: The agreement asks for increasing to at least $20 billion annually by 2025 the money that goes to poor countries. That number would be increased to $30 billion each year by 2030.
  • TARGET 20: Strengthen capacity-building and development, access to and transfer of technology, and promote development of and access to innovation and technical and scientific cooperation, including through South- South, North-South and triangular cooperation,
  • TARGET 21: Ensure that the best available data, information and knowledge, are accessible to decision makers, practitioners and the public
  • TARGET 22: Ensure the full, equitable, inclusive, effective and gender-responsive representation and participation in decision-making, and access to justice and information related to biodiversity by indigenous peoples and local communities, respecting their cultures and their rights over lands, territories, resources, and traditional knowledge, as well as by women and girls, children and youth, and persons with disabilities and ensure the full protection of environmental human rights defenders.
  • TARGET 23: Ensure gender equality in the implementation of the framework

5) COMMEMORATIVE PERIODS

A) 2010: INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF BIODIVERSITY

B) 2011-2020: UN DECADE OF BIODIVERSITY

• • • This was announced on recommendation of the CBD signatories during COP10 at Nagoya in October, 2010.

C) INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: 22ND MAY

• • • The UN has proclaimed May 22 as the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.
    • This day was chosen as Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted by UN Conference on this day.

6) REPORT: GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY OUTLOOK

• The report provides a summary of the status of biological diversity and an analysis of the steps being taken by the global community to ensure that biodiversity is conserved and used sustainably, and that benefits arising from the use of genetic resources are shared equitably.
• The fifth edition (GBO-5) is the final report card on progress against 20 global biodiversity targets agreed in 2010 with a 2020 deadline, and offers lessons learned and best practices for getting on track.
• None of the 20 targets have been fully achieved, though six targets have been partially achieved (Targets 9, 11, 16, 17, 19 and 20)

1. POLLINATORS AND ASSOCIATED ISSUES

• There are more than 20,000 species of wild bees alone, plus many species of butterflies, flies, moths, wasps, beetles, birds, bats, and other animals that contribute to pollination. Pollinated crops include those that provide fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and Many of these are important dietary sources of vitamins and minerals, without which the risks of malnutrition might be expected to increase. Several crops also represent an important source of income in developing countries from, for example, the production of coffee and cocoa.

1) IPBES GLOBAL ASSESSMENT OF POLLINATORS

• This assessment, titled Thematic Assessment of Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production is the first ever assessment of pollinators issued by IPBES.
• Key Highlights
  • Significance of Pollinators:
    • 75% of world’s food crops depend at least in part on pollination.
    • 90% of the wild flowering plants depend on pollinators
    • Volume of agri-production dependent on pollinators has increased by 300% during the past 50 years.
  • A number of pollinator species worldwide are being driven towards extinction. This is threatening millions of livelihoods and 100s of billions of dollars’ worth of food supply.
  • Key factors affecting pollinators
    • Changes in land use
    • Intensive agri productio
    • Pesticides (including neonicotinoid insecticides)
    • Alien invasive species
    • Diseases and pests are specially problematic for managed bees.
    • Climate change
  • Way forward – Sustainable Agriculture, reducing chemical pesticides, Improved managed bee husbandry

2) ABOUT INTERGOVERNMENTAL SCIENCE POLICY PLATFORM ON BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES (IPBES)

• It is an independent inter-governmental body established by states to strengthen the science policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long term human well-being, and sustainable development.
• It was established in 2012 at Panama city.
• It is not an UN body. However, at the request of the IPBES plenary and authorization of UNEP Governing Council, the UNEP provides secretariat services to IPBES.
• It currently has 134 member states. Many NGOs, organizations, conventions and civil society groupings also participate in the formal IPBES process as observers, with several thousand individual stakeholders, ranging from scientific experts to representatives of academic and research institutions, local communities and the private sector, contributing to and benefiting from our work.
• The work of IPBES can be categorized in four complementary areas:
  1. Assessments: g., the Assessment of Pollinators
  2. Policy Support: Identifying policy-relevant tools and methodologies, facilitating their use, and catalysing their further development.
  3. Building Capacity and Knowledge
  4. Communication and Outreach

3) ABOUT “THE GLOBAL COALITION OF THE WILLING ON POLLINATORS)

• The coalition was formed in 2016 to follow up on the findings of IPBES Assessment on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production.
• The coalition has 28 signatories including 17 European countries, five from Latin America and the Caribbean and four from Africa.
• Members are supposed to do the following:
  • Taking action to protect pollinators and their habitats by developing and implementing national pollinator strategies
  • Sharing experience and lessons learnt in developing and implementing national pollinator strategies, especially knowledge on new approaches, innovations, and best practices
  • Reaching out to seek collaboration with a broad spectrum of stakeholders—countries as well as businesses, NGOs, farmers, and local communities
  • Developing research on pollinator conservation

4) WORLD BEE DAY: 20TH MAY

• The World observes Bee Day on May 20 to raise awareness about the importance of pollinators and how they contribute to our sustainable developments. The day has been designated by the UN.

2. CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES (CITES) ON WILD FLORA AND FAUNA

• About Convention
  • Convention also known as Washington convention is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals.
  • It was drafted as a result of resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).
  • It came into force in 1975 and now has 184 parties (as of Nov 2022). Almost every country in the world has signed up + the European Union.
    • The convention is binding on Parties in the sense that they are committed to implementing it; however, it doesn’t take the place of national law
• Aim: It’s aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species in wild, and it accords varying degree of protection to more than 35,000 (>5000 plants, and > 30 thousand animals) species of plants and animals.
  • In essence, CITES ban hunting, capturing, and selling of endangered or threatened species.
• Categorization of Species covered by CITES according to degree of protection they need:
  • Appendix I:
    • The appendix includes those species which are threatened with extinction and where trade is a current or potential threat to their continued existence.
    • Any international movement of these species – or products made from them – requires permits from both the exporting and importing country.
    • International trade for commercial purpose is generally not allowed and is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
    • The appendix currently has over 1,000 species.
  • Appendix II:
    • Species included in this appendix are not necessarily threatened with extinction, but their trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.
    • In practice, the appendix includes many highly endangered species.
    • This is the biggest appendix and has around 40,000 species.
    • International Trade in the species is allowed but requires a permission from exporting countries, after determining that the export will not harm the survival of the species and that the specimen has been obtained legally.
  • Appendix III:
    • This appendix is used when a country wants to regulate trade in a given species. Here, a country can get a species listed unilaterally.
    • Export permits are then required for that species be exported from the country.
    • Note: Additions to Appendix 1 and Appendix 2, require the agreement of two-third of the COP.
• Significance
  • Even though enforcement is difficult, CITES has helped reduce trade in many threatened species including elephants, crocodiles, and chimpanzees.

A) COP OF CITES

• CoP of CITES meet every three years. The 18th CITES was held in Geneva in 2019 and the COP-19 was held in Panama in Nov 2022.

3. CONVENTION ON CONSERVATION OF MIGRATORY SPECIES OF WILD ANIMALS (BONN CONVENTION – CMS)

• Introduction:
  • Migratory species are those animals that move from one habitat to another during different times of the year, due to various factors such as food, sunlight, temperature, climate, etc. The movement between habitats, can sometimes exceed thousands of miles/kilometres for some migratory birds and mammals. A migratory route can involve nesting and requires the availability of habitats before and after each migration.
  • To protect the migratory species throughout their range countries, a Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), has been in force, under the aegis of United Nations Environment Programm
    • Also referred to as the Bonn Convention, it provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats and brings together the States through which migratory animals pass, the Range States, and lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout a migratory range
  • It is only global convention specializing in the conservation of migratory species, their habitat and migration routes.
• Appendix I and Appendix 2
  • Migratory species threatened with extinction are listed on Appendix I of the Convention.
    • CMS Parties strive towards strictly protecting these animals, conserving or restoring the places where they live, mitigating obstacles to migration and controlling other factors that might endanger them.
    • Besides establishing obligations for each State joining the Convention, CMS promotes concerted action among the Range States of many of these species.
  • Migratory species that need or would significantly benefit from international co-operation are listed in Appendix II of the Convention.
    • For this reason, the Convention encourages the Range States to conclude global or regional agreements.
• Members
  • Currently there are 132 members to the
  • India has been party to the CMS since 1983.
• COP is the decision making body of CMS.
• Key Highlights: 13th COP Summit, Gandhinagar Gujarat
  1. Gandhinagar Declaration sends strong message on importance of migratory species for new global biodiversity strategy.
  2. The First Ever Report on the Status of Migratory Species, presented to CMS COP13, shows that despite some success stories, the populations of most migratory species covered by CMS are declining.
  3. Great Indian Bustard, Asian Elephant, and Bengal Florican have been classified as “Endangered Migratory Species” ( Appendix 1 ) by CMS as per Indian proposal.
  4. Animal Culture Linked to Conservation for the first time at UN Wildlife Conference in India
  5. Seven Migratory Species Champions were recognized during the conference.
     • Under the Champion program, Germany, India, Italy, Monaco, Norway, the European Commission, and the Environmental Agency – Abu Dhabi were acknowledged for their generous contributions to the CMS initiatives.
• India also has non-legally binding MoUs with CMS on the conservation and management of Siberian Crane (1998), Marine Turtles (2007), Dugongs (2008) and Raptors (2016).
• India is temporary home to several migratory animals and birds. The important among these include Amur Falcons, Bar headed Geese, Black necked cranes, Marine turtles, Dugongs, Humpbacked Whales, etc.