Monday, June 6, 2011

AN EXPLANATORY GUIDE TO THE NAGOYA PROTOCOL ON ABS

IUCN-INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE

A clear understanding of the text of the Nagoya Procol on ABS and the resulting obligations for the contracting Parties as well as ABS procedures is of essential importance for the future implementation of the Protocol at the national level. IUCN is developing an explanatory guide to the Nagoya ABS Protocol which will aim to enhance the understanding of the protocol text and contribute to improve the capacity of government officials and different stakeholders to implement it. A core team of leading ABS experts were brought together to contribute to this exercise in consultation with an Advisory Group. IUCN officials and some members of the team presented the outline of the Guide and shared initial ideas with participants to the ICNP.

Presentation:

• IUCN Explanatory Guide to the Nagoya Protocol on ABS

BIOCULTURAL PROTOCOLS: NURTURING ABS-TK IMPLEMENTATION AND NAGOYA PROTOCOL AWARENESS RISING APPROACHES IN THE ANDEAN REGION

QUECHUA-AYMARA ASSOCIATION FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS, ANDES

This workshop presented experiences and lessons learned from a variety of existing initiatives and activities related to the use of Biocultural Protocols for indigenous knowledge, access and benefit-sharing and related inter-cultural awareness-raising activities in the Andean region. Case studies discussed why Biocultural Protocols are critical for, and how they can effectively facilitate, the implementation of the international regime on access and benefit-sharing. In addition, they create appropriate intercultural processes and measures for raising awareness of the importance of genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, and related access and benefit-sharing issues.

Presentations:

• Biocultural Community Protocols Under the Nagoya Protocol
• Biocultural Protocols: The Case of the Potato Park Inter-Community Agreement for Benefit Sharing

REPORT FROM THE REFLECTION MEETING ON ART 10 ON THE NEEDS AND MODALITIES FOR AN INTERNATIONAL MECHANISM

FRIDTJOF NANSEN INSTITUTE

This side event aimed at reporting the informal conversations and reflections on the Nagoya Protocol Article 10 on the needs and modalities of a Mechanism for Benefit-sharing.

Presentation:

• Report from the reflection meeting on the global multilateral benefit sharing mechanism

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

ORPHAN GENETIC RESOURCES: MODALITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF BENEFIT-SHARING UNDER PROTOCOL ARTICLE 10 AND THE ABS CHM

UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIES & JEAN SHANNON & ASSOCIATES PTY LTD

Geoff Burton of the United Nations University outlined a proposal for a mechanism under Article 10 to enable benefit-sharing agreements for the utilization of genetic resources of unknown or transboundary origin to be internationally recognized as compliant with the Nagoya Protocol. Dr. Paul Oldham of Lancaster University and the United Nations University demonstrated the ABS Patent Index as a cost effective monitoring tool under Article 13 of the Nagoya Protocol.

Presentation:

• Orphan Genetic Resources: Modalities for International Recognition of Benefit-sharing under Protocol Article 10 and the ABS CHM

ENHANCING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR BIODIVERSITY 2011 – 2020: STRENGTHENING THE LINKAGES BETWEEN BIODIVERSITY PLANNING AND ACCESS AND BENEFIT SHARING

SECRETARIAT OF THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

Although access and benefit sharing (ABS) is one of the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), implementation at the national level has varied widely between countries. A global assessment of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) completed by the UNU-IAS in 2010 found that ABS had not been well integrated into NBSAPs which are supposed to be the main instrument for implementing the CBD at national level. The side event explored options for strengthening linkages between NBSAPs and ABS. It provided an overview of the CBD's new 10-year framework for achieving its goals - the Strategic Plan, and one of the vehicles for achieving the Strategic Plan - the Japan Biodiversity Fund (JBF). It also discussed how the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources can provide innovative funding for national and local biodiversity management. In addition, it examined how national governments have made the links between ABS and NBSAPs in policies and institutions, and how both provider and user countries are preparing for the national implementation of the ABS Protocol.

Presentation:

• Implementing the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011 – 2020: Strengthening the linkages between NBSAPs and ABS

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

ARE THE FAO AND WHO ABS-AGREEMENTS SUPPORTIVE OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THE NAGOYA PROTOCOL?

BERNE DECLARATION, THIRD WORLD NETWORK, CHURCH DEVELOPMENT SERVICE (EED)

Article 4 of the Nagoya Protocol explicitly envisages the possibility of specialized international access and benefit-sharing instruments, provided that they are supportive of and do not run counter to the objectives of the Convention and the Protocol. The side-event analysed two current important agreements in this regard, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the newly adopted Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework of the WHO. The panel raised the question of whether these agreements fulfill the requirements of Article 4 of the Nagoya Protocol.

Presentations:

• Outstanding Issues on ABS under the Multilateral System of the International Treaty on PGRFA
• Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework for the Sharing of Influenza Viruses and Access to Vaccines and Other Benefits
• The FAO ITPGRFA and the Nagoya Protocol: Some National Implementation Questions, Clarifications and Realizations

ABS IMPLEMENTATION AND THE COMMUNICATION CHALLENGE

ABS CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IUCN ON EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION (IUCN CEC) AND UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY (UNU)

With the adoption of the Nagoya Protocol, the ABS challenge has moved to the national level: all countries are called upon to design and implement measures that make ABS work in practice. This requires effective communication with a broad range of actors. The ABS Capacity Development Initiative is currently drafting an ABS Communication Guide with a focus on Africa. The objective is to support individuals and institutions who are in charge of national ABS implementation, by addressing questions like: how to identify relevant stakeholders; how to craft suitable messages for different purposes and audiences; what communication approaches can be used to help stakeholders make informed decisions; etc. With this side event, the ABS Capacity Development Initiative sought feedback and advice for the further development of their Guide. The 'zero draft outline' was presented and discussed with Focal Points, communication specialists, user representatives, multipliers and other interested experts from Africa and other parts of the world. In addition, draft elements of an ABS film (under construction) that aims at supporting "implementers" was shown and suggestions were gathered for the final version.

Presentation:

• ABS Implementation and the Communication Challenge

Thursday, June 9, 2011

VISIONARY BIODIVERSITY LAWS AND POLICIES & OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION

CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT LAW AND WORLD FUTURE COUNCIL

Experts from the CISDL Biodiversity Law Programme and the World Future Council explained to policy-makers how to develop exemplary biodiversity laws based on sustainable development law principles, including justice for future generations. Examples were based on a CISDL/WFC analysis of some of the world’s best biodiversity laws, focusing on guiding principles, the process through which they were developed, drafting and adoption, and their implementation and related monitoring, reporting and compliance processes. The side-event also offered training materials developed for decision-makers on the implementation of biodiversity law. Draft Agenda * Welcome by Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity * Future Policy Award: Celebrating the World's Best Biodiversity Policies Presentation by Alexandra Wandel, Executive Member, World Future Council * Presentation of Research Results and Training Materials on Best Biodiversity Laws and Policies by Prof. Jorge Cabrera and Frederic Perron-Welch, Centre for International Sustainable Development Law * Panel discussion on how legislators might capitalise on existing best biodiversity policies through domestic legislation and policy making processes.

Presentations:

• Visionary Biodiversity Laws & Policies
• Future Policy Award: Celebrating the World’s Best Biodiversity Policies

GEF SUPPORT TO ABS

GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY (GEF)

The GEF presented a summary of the national and regional projects in support of ABS, and of the opportunities at the newly created Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF) and the GEF Biodiversity Strategy for GEF-5.

Presentation:

• ABS at the GEF

IMPLICATIONS OF THE NAGOYA PROTOCOL FOR RESEARCH ON BIOCULTURAL DIVERSITY

UNIVERSITE DE MONTREAL ON BEHALF OF THE CONSORTIUM OF UNIVERSITIES

The event brought together scientists from various disciplines to discuss the role of universities and research institutes in capacity-building for ABS.

Presentations:

• First Nations and Researchers: Making a case out of a diabetes project
• The Protection of Indigenous Knowledge and related Intellectual Property Rights: The example of the Cree Diabetes Project
• The Nagoya Protocol and its implications on research in Colombia