Information

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling its decisions II/13, III/17 and III/21,

Recalling also Article 16, paragraph 5, Article 22, paragraph 1, Article 23, paragraph 4 (h), and Article 24, paragraph 1 (d), of the Convention on Biological Diversity,

Reaffirming the importance of mutually supportive activities under the Convention on Biological Diversity and activities under other conventions, processes and institutions relevant to the achievement of the objectives of the Convention, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of activities and costs on the part of Parties and the organs of the Convention,

Welcoming the progress made in the development of cooperative arrangements with relevant conventions, institutions and processes as reported by the Executive Secretary to its fourth meeting, while recognizing the need to further improve the method of work of the Conference of the Parties in terms of assessing work done in the context of these cooperative arrangements,

Noting that the Commission on Sustainable Development in its review of the implementation of Agenda 21, at the next comprehensive review of progress achieved in the implementation of Agenda 21 by the General Assembly in the year 2002, will require input on the status of implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity,

1. Expresses its appreciation to those conventions and institutions that provided documentation and information to the Conference of the Parties at its fourth meeting;

2. Endorses the Joint Work Plan with the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar) contained in UNEP/CBD/COP/4/Inf.8, as recommended by decisions III/21 and IV/4 as a framework for enhanced cooperation between these conventions and encourages its implementation;

3. Also endorses the memoranda of cooperation entered into by the Executive Secretary with: the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Cartagena Convention, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD);

4. Requests that the Executive Secretary, on behalf of the Conference of the Parties, consider matters of liaison, cooperation and collaboration as a key responsibility;

5. Requests the Executive Secretary to continue to coordinate with the secretariats of relevant biodiversity-related conventions, institutions and processes, and to cooperate with related processes at regional and subregional levels, with a view to:

(a) Facilitating the exchange of information and experience;

(b) Exploring the possibility of procedures for promoting efficiencies between the reporting requirements of Parties under those instruments and conventions;

(c) Exploring the possibility of developing joint work programmes, similar to that between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on Wetlands referred to above, between the Convention on Biological Diversity and other relevant institutions and conventions;

(d) Exploring modalities, where appropriate, for suitable liaison arrangements in relevant centres, in particular Geneva and/or New York, for the purpose of enhancing linkages with relevant processes, which will assist in achieving greater coherence in these intergovernmental organizations and processes;

6. Encourages the Executive Secretary to develop relationships with other processes with a view to fostering good management practices in areas such as: methods and approaches to deal with protected areas; ecosystem and bioregional approaches to protected area management and sustainable use of biological diversity; mechanisms to enhance stakeholder involvement; methods for developing systems plans and integrating biological diversity considerations into sectoral strategies and plans; and transboundary protected areas;

7. Takes note of the Executive Secretary's observer status in the Committee on Trade and Environment of the World Trade Organization for the purpose of representing the Convention on Biological Diversity in meetings whose agendas have relevance to the Convention;

8. Also notes that some Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, particularly many developing countries, are not members of the World Trade Organization, and are therefore limited in their abilities to present their concerns regarding biological diversity at the World Trade Organization;

9. Stresses the need to ensure consistency in implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity and the World Trade Organization agreements, including the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, with a view to promoting increased mutual supportiveness and integration of biological diversity concerns and the protection of intellectual property rights, and invites the World Trade Organization to consider how to achieve these objectives in the light of Article 16, paragraph 5, of the Convention, taking into account the planned review of Article 27, paragraph 3 (b), of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights in 1999;

10. Emphasizes that further work is required to help develop a common appreciation of the relationship between intellectual property rights and the relevant provisions of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and the Convention on Biological Diversity, in particular on issues relating to technology transfer and conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources, including the protection of knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

11. Requests the Executive Secretary to enhance cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization with respect to the Organization's programme of work;

12. Also requests the Executive Secretary to prepare a report on the implementation of the Convention to assist the Conference of the Parties to contribute to the review of the implementation of Agenda 21 in the year 2002;

13. Further requests the Executive Secretary to strengthen relationships with, in particular, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol, and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa, with a view to making implementation activities and institutional arrangements mutually supportive;

14. Takes note of the Programme for the further implementation of Agenda 21 and requests Parties to submit information to the Executive Secretary on, inter alia:

(a) Current threats to biological diversity from tourism activities;

(b) Basic approaches, strategies and instruments that demonstrate where tourism and the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity are mutually supportive;

(c) The involvement of the private sector, local and indigenous communities in establishing sustainable tourism practices;

(d) Collaborative efforts at the regional and the subregional levels, including case studies of particular relevance;

(e) Infrastructure planning and regional and land-use planning for tourism that have incorporated consideration of the Convention on Biological Diversity; or

(f) Consideration of policies and activities which are supportive of its aims, in order to initiate a process of exchange of experiences, knowledge and best practices, under the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, in particular at the national and regional levels on sustainable tourism and biological diversity within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, including regarding protected areas;

15. Further invites Parties to provide information to the Executive Secretary on the biodiversity-related activities of the Commission on Sustainable Development, such as:

(a) Comprehensive review of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;

(b) Oceans and seas, and freshwater resources;

(c) Consumption and production patterns;

16. Requests the Executive Secretary to provide inputs based on the above submissions to the discussion at the Commission on Sustainable Development at its seventh session to ensure that any future work of the Commission on Sustainable Development in these areas fully incorporates biological diversity considerations and makes full use of existing materials and national guidelines;

17. Requests the Executive Secretary to report to the Conference of the Parties at its fifth meeting on the collaborative efforts with the Commission on Sustainable Development and with the Committee on Trade and Environment of the World Trade Organization, including suggestions for improving this relationship.