Plans for the Cartagena Protocol: Implementation and Capacity Building
The Implementation Plan and the Capacity-building Action Plan are key reference biosafety documents for the current decade. The documents were developed following an inclusive and iterative process.
The Implementation Plan and the Capacity-building Action Plan were adopted to support Parties to the Cartagena Protocol in their implementation and capacity-building efforts. The plans are also expected to support Parties in meeting the targets and goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework that are relevant for biosafety, in particular Target 17, dedicated to biosafety and biotechnology.
Implementation Plan for the Cartagena Protocol
The Implementation Plan is a framework of broad desirable achievements and accomplishments to help guide Parties in their implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and measure progress in this regard for the period up to 2030. The Implementation Plan is directed primarily at Parties. However, it is recognized that non-Parties, stakeholders from different sectors, organizations, indigenous peoples and local communities, and donors can support the implementation of the Protocol.
The goals of the Implementation Plan are organized under “areas for implementation” and “enabling environment”. Each goal includes corresponding objectives, outcomes and indicators.
The “areas for implementation” consist of goals concerning key elements for the implementation of the Protocol. The “enabling environment” comprises cross-cutting goals related to providing support for implementation, including:
- capacity-building,
- resource mobilization,
- cooperation; and
- public awareness, education and participation.
The goals under the “enabling environment” represent cross-cutting achievements that benefit a variety of implementation-related goals and can be read in conjunction with the goals related to “areas for implementation”.
Capacity-Building Action Plan for the Cartagena Protocol
The Implementation Plan is complemented by the Capacity-building Action Plan for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and covers the same period, up to 2030. The Capacity-building Action Plan identifies key areas for capacity-building related to the different goals of the Implementation Plan.
The purpose of the Capacity-building Action Plan is to facilitate the development and strengthening of the capacities of Parties to implement the Protocol, including by:
- facilitating the engagement of partners and donors,
- fostering a coherent and coordinated approach to capacity-building, and
- promoting regional and international cooperation and coordination.
The key areas for capacity-building, outlined in the Plan, are meant as indicative areas in which capacities may be needed, and on which capacity-building interventions may focus, depending on national circumstances and needs. The capacity-building activities are examples and not an exhaustive list since each country should adapt the activities to their reality and needs. Additionally, lessons learned in previous capacity-building activities can support the identification of the most suitable activities to be developed in each country.
More information:
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
20th Anniversary of the Cartagena Protocol
Decision CP-10/3 and Decision CP-10/4
Outcomes (The effect of successfully completed activities)
The outcomes of the Implementation Plan are:
A. Areas for Implementation
- Functional national biosafety frameworks enable competent authorities, national focal points and Article 17 contact points of all Parties to effectively and efficiently fulfil their obligations under the Protocol
- BCH facilitates the availability and exchange of biosafety-related information and enables Parties to take informed decisions
- Accurate and timely information on the implementation of the Protocol enables the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to set priorities and identify where support is needed
- Effective compliance mechanism facilitates implementation of the Protocol
- Parties identify, assess and appropriately manage and control risks of LMOs to biodiversity, taking also into account risks to human health
- Illegal and unintentional transboundary movements of LMOs are prevented or minimized
- Through appropriate handling, transport, packaging and identification of LMOs, Parties are able to safely manage intentional transboundary movements of LMOs
- By detecting and identifying LMOs, Parties are able to respond to unintentional and illegal transboundary movements and to implement the handling, transport, packaging and identification requirements in accordance with the Protocol
- Parties that choose to do so take into account socioeconomic considerations in decision-making on imports of LMOs and cooperate on research and information exchange in accordance with Article 26
- Increased number of ratifications of the Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress advances the development of national rules and procedures on liability and redress for damage resulting from LMOs originating in a transboundary movement
B. Enabling Environment
- Parties have the necessary capacity for the implementation of the Protocol
- Full implementation of the Protocol is enabled by adequate resources
- Through public awareness, education and participation, Parties ensure that the public is appropriately informed about the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs and involved in decision-making on the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs
- Through cooperation at the national, regional and international levels, and participation of stakeholders, Parties’ implementation of the Protocol is more effective
The outcomes of the Capacity-building Action Plan are:
A. Areas for implementation
- Functional national biosafety frameworks enable competent authorities, national focal points and Article 17 contact points of all Parties to effectively and efficiently fulfil their obligations under the Protocol
- BCH facilitates the availability and exchange of biosafety-related information and enables Parties to take informed decisions
- BCH is used as the reference information platform for biosafety-related information
- Accurate and timely information on the implementation of the Protocol enables the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to set priorities and identify where support is needed.
- Effective compliance mechanism facilitates implementation of the Protocol
- Parties identify, assess and appropriately manage and control risks of LMOs to biodiversity, taking also into account risks to human health
- Increased involvement of academia and specialized research institutes strengthens scientific support for risk assessment and risk management
- Illegal and unintentional transboundary movements of LMOs prevented or minimized
- Through appropriate handling, transport, packaging and identification of LMOs, Parties are able to safely manage intentional transboundary movements of LMOs
- By detecting and identifying LMOs, Parties are able to respond to unintentional and illegal transboundary movements and to implement the handling, transport, packaging and identification requirements in accordance with the Protocol
- By sharing information and quality assurance programmes in laboratory networks, accurate, robust and reliable analytical results and efficient procedures are promoted.
- Parties that choose to do so take into account socioeconomic considerations in accordance with Article 26 in decision-making on imports of LMOs
- Parties share experiences in conducting socioeconomic considerations
- Increased number of ratifications of the Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress advances the development of national rules and procedures on liability and redress for damage resulting from LMOs originating in a transboundary movement
B. Enabling environment
- Parties have the necessary capacity for the implementation of the Protocol
- Parties have identified their needs for capacity-building and recognize and put in place the appropriate actions to solve them
- Full implementation of the Protocol is enabled by adequate resources
- Public and private resources are mobilized and provide regular and sustained support for the actions needed
- Through public awareness, education and participation, Parties ensure that the public is appropriately informed about the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs and involved in decision-making on the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs
- Through cooperation at the national, regional and international levels, and participation of stakeholders, Parties’ implementation of the Protocol is more effective
- Increased awareness on the importance of biosafety across government and relevant stakeholders
Click here to read the Capacity-building Action Plan for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in full