Convention on Biological Diversity

2017-2018 inter-sessional period

The thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP 13) and the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol (COP-MOP 2) respectively adopted decisions on digital sequence information on genetic resources in which they recognized the need for a coordinated and non-duplicative approach on this matter under the Convention and the Nagoya Protocol (decisions XIII/16 and NP-2/14, respectively).

The process agreed to in decisions XIII/16 and NP-2/14 entails the submission of views and information, the commissioning of a study, work by an ad hoc technical expert group (AHTEG), consideration of the outcomes by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, and recommendations by the Subsidiary Body to the fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention and the third meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol.

Please click for more information:

AHTEG on Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources

An Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group (AHTEG) on Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources was established by decision XIII/16 of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity. In accordance with decision NP-2/14, the AHTEG will also serve the Nagoya Protocol.

A meeting of the AHTEG on Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources was convened thanks to the financial support of the Government of Canada and the European Union from 13 to 16 February 2018 in Montreal, Canada. Among other tasks, the AHTEG considered the compilation and synthesis of views and information submitted by Parties, other Governments, relevant organizations and stakeholders, as well as a fact-finding and scoping study commissioned by the Executive Secretary.

The report will be considered by SBSTTA-22.

Meeting of the AHTEG on Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources (13-16 February 2018)

Peer review of the fact-finding and scoping study

The Executive Secretary was requested to commission a fact-finding and scoping study to clarify terminology and concepts and to assess the extent and the terms and conditions of the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources in the context of the Convention and the Nagoya Protocol.

The study was carried out thanks to financial support from the European Union and the Governments of Canada and Switzerland. It was made available for peer-review (notification 2017-115) between 9 November and 1 December 2017. The comments received in response to this notification are presented below in the form and language in which they were received.

Parties

CBD non-Parties

United States of America

Organizations and stakeholders

Submissions from Parties, other Governments, relevant organizations and stakeholders

In decision XIII/16, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity invited Parties, other Governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, and relevant organizations and stakeholders to submit views and relevant information to the Executive Secretary on any potential implications of the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources for the three objectives of the Convention. The Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol invited these submissions to include information relevant to the Nagoya Protocol (decision NP-2/14).

The Secretariat invited the submission of views and information through notification 2017-37. The submissions received by the Secretariat in response are available below.

CBD Parties

CBD Non-Parties

United States of America

Organizations and Stakeholders