This page provides links to other key issues which the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol (COP-MOP) will be addressing in its medium term programme of work up to its fifth meeting, including: monitoring and reporting, public awareness and participation, and socio-economic considerations.

Public Awareness and Participation

Article 23 of the Protocol requires Parties, on their own and in cooperation with other States and international bodies, to promote and facilitate public awareness and education, including access to information, regarding the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms (LMOs). It also requires Parties to consult the public in the decision-making process, to make public the final decision taken and to inform public about the means of access to the Biosafety Clearing-House.

Public awareness, education and participation are fundamental elements for the effective implementation of the Protocol. It is important for the public to know and understand the issues and processes related to LMOs and to have access to relevant information in order to make informed choices and actions, and to be able to participate effectively in the decision-making processes. Likewise, public participation in the decision-making process is crucial for facilitating transparency and accountability, and strengthening public support for the decisions taken regarding LMOs. In this regard, the COP-MOP in its decision BS-I/12 on the medium-term programme of work for the COP-MOP agreed to consider, at its second meeting, “options for cooperation between Parties, other States and relevant international bodies on the promotion and facilitation of public awareness, education and participation concerning the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms”.

In its decision BS-II/13, COP-MOP encouraged countries to develop and implement national programmes, to make effective use of the media and to leverage opportunities for cooperation in the promotion of public awareness, education and participation concerning the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs. It invited them to support subregional and regional initiatives and share, through the BCH, information, awareness materials and case studies about their ongoing initiatives. This issue will be considered again at MOP 5.

COP-MOP 4 considered an interim report on the status of implementation of Article 23, the experiences gained and the lessons learned and underscored the need for a cohesive and focused approach to public awareness, education and participation. In its decision BS-IV/17, the COP-MOP agreed to develop a programme of work on public awareness, education and participation concerning the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs and invited Governments and relevant organizations to submit views on its possible elements. The Executive Secretary was requested to prepare a draft work programme, taking account the submissions, for consideration at the fifth meeting. The COP-MOP also welcomed the new Outreach Strategy for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2008-2012) and requested the Executive Secretary to advance its implementation and report on the progress at the sixth meeting.

Related links:

Decisions of the COP-MOP

• Decision BS-IV/17
• Decision BS-II/13
• Decision BS-I/12
  

COP-MOP Documents

	UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/4/16
	Public Awareness and Participation - Interim report on the status of implementation of public awareness, education and participation concerning the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms (Article 23, paragraph 1 (a))
	UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/4/INF/18
	Outreach Strategy for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2008 – 2012)
	UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/2/13
	Public Awareness and Participation: Options for cooperation of Parties with other States and international bodies on the promotion and facilitation of public awareness, education and participation concerning living modified organisms (Article 23, paragraph 1 (a))

Socio-economic Considerations

Article 26 of the Protocol on Biosafety establishes the right of Parties to take into account socio-economic considerations arising from the impact of living modified organisms in reaching a decision on whether to import these organisms, especially with regard to the value of biological diversity to indigenous and local communities. However, when Parties are taking into account such considerations, they are at the same time required to ensure that the decision is consistent with their other international obligations.

Paragraph 2 of Article 26 calls upon Parties to cooperate on research and information exchange on socio-economic impacts of LMOs, especially on indigenous and local communities. In accordance with the medium term programme of work adopted by the first meeting of the COP-MOP (decision BS-I/12), this provision was considered by the COP-MOP at its second meeting. COP-MOP 2 requested, among other things, Parties and other Governments to provide their views and case studies concerning socio-economic impacts of LMOs (decision BS-I/12). It also invited Parties and other Governments to share information and experiences on socio-economic impacts of LMOs through the BCH.

COP-MOP 4 considered views and case-studies concerning socio-economic impacts of LMOs on the basis of submissions from Parties, other Governments and relevant international organizations. COP-MOP 4, in its decision BS-IV/16, invited the next coordination meeting on capacity-building activities to further consider possibilities for cooperation in identifying needs for capacity-building for research and information exchange on socio-economic impacts of LMOs. Any recommendations from the coordination meeting are to be submitted for the consideration of the Parties at their fifth meeting. Parties and other Governments were invited to continue to share information and experiences on socio-economic impacts of LMOs through the BCH. In addition, Parties agreed to review socio-economic issues at their six meeting based on information that may be provided through the second national reports.

Related links:

Decisions of the COP-MOP

• Decision BS-IV/16
• Decision BS-II/12
• Decision BS-I/12
  COP-MOP Documents

	UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/4/15
	Socio-Economic Considerations (Article 26, Paragraph 2)
	UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/4/INF/1
	Socio-Economic Considerations - Compilation of views and case-studies concerning socio-economic impacts of living modified organisms
	UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/2/12
	Socio-Economic Considerations: Cooperation on Research and Information Exchange (Article 26, Paragraph 2)