THE CONVENTION ON

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
CONTENT

•Introduction
•Reason for the Convention
•History
•Protocols Developed by CBD
•What was Discussed
•What are the Outcomes ?
•Mechanisms for Implementation
 Introduction

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the international legal

instrument for "the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of
its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out
of the utilization of genetic resources" that has been ratified by 196 nations.

Main Goals of CBD

•Conservation of biodiversity
•Sustainable use of biodiversity
•Fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic
resources

Supplementary agreements
•Cartagena Protocol
•Nagoya Protocol
Reasons for the convention

• To conserve nature, ensure nature is used sustainably and that the

benefits to people from the use of genetic diversity are shared fairly.

• To conserve the food security depends upon natural resources that form
the basis of food production.

• To encourage actions which will leads to a sustainable future.

(CBD covers biodiversity at all levels: ecosystems, species and genetic
resources)
History
As the Earth's biological resources are vital to humanity's economic and
social development. As a result, there is a growing recognition that
biological diversity is a global asset of tremendous value to present and
future generations. At the same time, the threat to species and
ecosystems has never been so great as it is today. Species extinction
caused by human activities continues at an alarming rate.
In response,
• November 1988 - the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
convened the Ad Hoc Working Group of Experts on Biological
Diversity to explore the need for an. international convention on
biological diversity.

• May 1989 - it established the Ad Hoc Working Group of Technical and

Legal Experts to prepare an international legal instrument for the
conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.
• February 1991 - the Ad Hoc Working Group had become known as the
Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee.

• 22 May 1992 -Its work culminated on with the Nairobi Conference for
the Adoption of the Agreed Text of the CBD

• 5 June 1992 - The Convention was opened for signature at the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Rio "Earth
Summit"). It remained open for signature until 4 June 1993, by which
time it had received 168 signatures.

• 29 December 1993 - The Convention entered into force, which was 90

days after the 30th ratification.

• 28 November – 9 December 1994 - The first session of the Conference

of the Parties was scheduled for in the Bahamas.
Cartagena Protocol
The Cartagena Protocol on Bio safety to the Convention on Biological
Diversity is an international treaty governing the movements of living
modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology from
one country to another.

It was adopted on 29 January 2000 as a supplementary agreement to the

Convention on Biological Diversity and entered into force on 11 September
2003

• The Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks
posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.

• It establishes an advance informed agreement (AIA) procedure for ensuring

that countries are provided with the information necessary to make
informed decisions before agreeing to the import of such organisms into
their territory.
Nayoga Protocol
The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and
Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) to the
Convention on Biological Diversity is a supplementary agreement to the
Convention on Biological Diversity.

• Its objective is the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the
utilization of genetic resources, thereby contributing to the conservation
and sustainable use of biodiversity.

• The Nagoya Protocol will create 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 resources leave the
country providing the genetic resources
What was discussed ? (2021/2022 COP 15)
• Measures the incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity.
• Regulated access to genetic resources and traditional knowledge, including
Prior Informed Consent of the party providing resources.
• Access to and transfer of technology, including biotechnology, to the
governments or local communities that provided traditional knowledge or
biodiversity resources.
• Technical and scientific cooperation.
• Coordination of a global directory of taxonomic expertise (Global Taxonomy
Initiative).
• Impact assessment.
• Education and public awareness.
• Provision of financial resources.
• National reporting on efforts to implement treaty commitments
What was discussed ?

• Infrastructure, agriculture, invasive species, pesticides, the role of business

and government subsidies that harm the environment.
• Negotiators ultimately reached agreements on financing biodiversity
(including how the costs are shared among wealthy and developing
countries), honoring Indigenous leadership, and valuing nature's
contribution to humanity.
• Connection between protecting biodiversity and tackling climate change.
 Forests, mangroves, coral reefs, peatlands and other ecosystems that
harbor a wealth of life also store vast amounts of carbon, so protecting
and restoring these ecosystems is essential for tempering the planet’s
climate.
What are the outcomes ? (2021/2022 COP 15)
• Nations of the world today agreed on a historic package of measures
deemed critical to addressing the dangerous loss of biodiversity and
restoring natural ecosystems.
• The 15th conference of parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
adopted the “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework” (GBF),
including four goals and 23 targets for achievement by 2030.

Among the global targets for 2030:

Have restoration completed or underway on at least 30% of degraded

terrestrial, inland waters, and coastal and marine ecosystems

Reduce to near zero the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance,

including ecosystems of high ecological integrity

Cut global food waste in half and significantly reduce over consumption
and waste generation
What are the outcomes ? (2021/2022 COP 15)

Reduce by half both excess nutrients and the overall risk posed by
pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals

Effective conservation and management of at least 30% of the world’s

lands, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans, with emphasis on areas of
particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and
services.

Progressively phase out or reform by 2030 subsidies that harm

biodiversity by at least $500 billion per year, while scaling up positive
incentives for biodiversity’s conservation and sustainable use.

Mobilize by 2030 at least $200 billion per year in domestic and

international biodiversity-related funding from all sources – public and
private.
Mechanisms for implementation
• National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs)
 NBSAPs are national strategies, plans or programs for the conservation
and sustainable use of biological diversity that integrate, as far as
possible and as appropriate, the conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity into relevant sectoral or cross-sectoral plans,
programs and policies.

• National Reports
 objective of national reporting is to provide information on measures
taken for the implementation of the Convention and the effectiveness
of these measures.

• Cooperation and Partnerships

• Financial Resources and Mechanism

 private.
Mechanisms for implementation

• Clearing-House Mechanism
 The Clearing-House Mechanism seeks to support the Convention's
thematic and cross-cutting programs of work by promoting
cooperation, exchanging information and developing a network of
partners.

• Biosafety Clearing-House
 The BCH is an information exchange mechanism that provides open
and easy access to key information about Living Modified Organisms,
in accordance with the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

• LifeWeb for Financing Protected Areas

References
1. Lakshmanan, P.K. (2018). Implementation of the Convention on Biological
Diversity and Its Protocols in India. In: Burra, S., Rajesh Babu, R. (eds)
Locating India in the Contemporary International Legal Order. Springer,
New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-3580-4_13
2. Koh, N., Ituarte-Lima, C., & Hahn, T. (2022). Mind the Compliance Gap:
How Insights from International Human Rights Mechanisms Can Help to
Implement the Convention on Biological Diversity. Transnational
Environmental Law, 11(1), 39-67. doi:10.1017/S2047102521000169
3. The convention on biological diversity.
https://www.cbd.int/convention/accessed February 26,2023
 THANK YOU!

Group 4A : 195242, 195337, 195226, 195225, 195334, 195332,

195346, 195368