Welcome to the Business Engagement Programme

Business and the 2010 Biodiversity Challenge Meetings

FIRST BUSINESS AND THE 2010 BIODIVERSITY CHALLENGE MEETING

London, United Kingdom: 20-21 January 2005

The Business and the 2010 Biodiversity Challenge meeting took place at the Great Eastern Hotel in London, 20-21 January 2005. The meeting aimed to develop ideas, which could best be pursued through the CBD or in support of its objectives, for engaging business in biodiversity issues, as a means of working towards the 2010 target to achieve a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss. It was a small brainstorming meeting that focused primarily on companies with a direct impact on biodiversity and those that impact biodiversity through their supply chains, as a first step in what is envisaged as a broader process.

The meeting was organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom, the Brazilian Ministry of Environment, the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Brazilian Business Council, and Insight Investment, and hosted by the latter. Participation was limited in order to facilitate brainstorming and focus the discussion, and, although all sectors of society were represented, business participation was greatest as a reflection of the subject matter. Participants were selected by the organizers, taking into account the participants’ demonstrated expertise and experience, as well as regional diversity.

A full report of this meeting, along with a list of participants, is available here.

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SECOND BUSINESS AND THE 2010 BIODIVERSITY CHALLENGE MEETING

São Paulo, Brazil: 3-5 November 2005

The second Business and the 2010 Biodiversity Challenge meeting, held in São Paulo, Brazil, from 3 to 5 November 2005, aimed to further develop the outcomes of the first meeting, and explore new ideas for engaging business in the implementation of the Convention by expanding participation and addressing two additional groups: industries dealing with issues related to access and benefit-sharing and the financial services sector.

The second Business and the 2010 Biodiversity Challenge meeting was organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom (DEFRA), the Ministry of the Environment of Brazil (MMA), the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS), and Insight Investment. It was hosted by the Ministry of the Environment of Brazil and CEBDS, with support from DEFRA, MMA, and CEBDS member companies: Natura Cosméticos; Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD); and Petróleo Brasileiro (Petrobras). Approximately 95 experts from business, civil society and government participated in the meeting. Participants were selected by the organizers, taking into account the participants’ demonstrated expertise and experience, as well as regional diversity.

A full report of this meeting, along with a list of participants, is available here.

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THIRD BUSINESS AND THE 2010 BIODIVERSITY CHALLENGE MEETING

Jakarta, Indonesia: 30 November - 2 December 2009

The Third Business and the 2010 Biodiversity Challenge Conference, in conjunction with the UNEP Business and Industry Global Dialogue, and With financial support from the Netherlands and UNEP, was held in Jakarta, Indonesia from 30 November to the 2 December 2009. In accordance with decision IX/26 adopted by the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, the CBD Business and the 2010 Biodiversity Challenge Conference aimed to strengthen business participation in CBD processes. Following up on the first and second Business and the Biodiversity Challenge meetings, the third meeting built upon the previous outcomes and provided input into the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties held in Nagoya, Japan on 19-29 October 2010.

The overall objective of the Jakarta event was to effectively engage the private sector in addressing biodiversity by stressing the link between biodiversity and core business and by highlighting best case practices, including life cycle approaches and incentive mechanisms. By emphasizing existing efforts underway, the event explored ways to scale-up business engagement on biodiversity issues and developed recommendations on collaborative actions.

Stemming from this meeting was the The Jakarta Charter on Business and Biodiversity.

The agenda for the meeting can be found here.

The participant's list for the meeting can be found here.

Documentation on the various sessions of the meeting is available as follows:

Images from the Meeting