Successful CoP - Leading the Way Forward
Following are the highlights of the CoP-11 Conference on Biodiversity concluded in Hyderabad on 19 October, 2012:
• Largest ever such conference organised in India. 170 countries
participated. The number of pre registered delegates around 15000.
Minister/Vice Minister level participation around 80. More than 400 side
events – many organised by the World Bank, UNDP, GEF, other countries
and International and national NGOs.
• The elements of successful CoP were flawless logistics, strategic
thinking in the development of Agenda’s content, participation of a
large number of stakeholders and persuasive yet effective negotiations.
• One of the most important outcomes of the CoP is the commitment of the
Parties to double the international financial flows for Bio Diversity
by 2015. This will translate into additional financial flows to the
developing countries to the tune of about US $ 30 billion equivalent to
about Rs. 1,50,000 crore over the next 8 years. This is a major
achievement especially in the context of .
1. Global economic downturn
2. Contentious stands regarding the robust baseline and the reporting mechanism
3. Absence of any such target in the recommendation sent to the CoP by WGRI
4. With no proposal from Working Group on Review of Implementation
(WGRI) the Parties would not have come with the required clearance from
the respective Finance Ministries.
India rectified the situation by her initiatives
1. Suggested a two track solution envisaging a preliminary target and a road map.
2. Co sponsored informal dialogue to promote better Understanding among the parties of the issues involved.
3. Co sponsored India UK High Level Panel to assess the requirement of funds.
4. Worked closely with the Bureau to introduce a specific element of
preliminary target, so that the parties come prepared with mandates from
their Finance Ministries.
5. During the CoP India led the efforts of the Parties to find a satisfactory outcome
• Way Forward India will like to play its leadership role during India’s
Presidency by supporting and hosting capacity building in the
developing countries to help them prepare project proposals to avail the
additional funding now envisaged.
• India will now be working closely with all the member countries to
make a success of the Hyderabad Road Map. India will also share its
experience with other countries to help them establish a robust
baseline, so that the target for resources fixed now is further refined
by CoP 12. India has already set apart a sum of Rs. 50 crores towards
South South cooperation.
• India has launched the initiative of Hyderabad Pledge which is now
available on the web site of CBD. All the countries are requested to
pledge money for the cause of bio diversity. MEF will now write to all
the Ministers the world over requesting them to pledge additional
resources for Biodiversity.
• India has already ratified Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit
sharing. India during its Presidency will work tirelessly for the
ratification of the Protocol by 50 countries so that it comes into force
during the Presidency of India. Towards this end, India will offer to
host the meeting of the Inter Governmental Committee of Nagoya Protocol.
India will also host capacity building workshops of developing
Countries to help them take legislative / administrative measures. India
has already offered to meet part of the cost of the meeting of the
Working Group on Art. 8j on Traditional Knowledge.
• After the resounding success of the Science Express Biodiversity
Special. The Government will take special efforts to increase the reach
of this Express to even more remote corners of the country to increase
the awareness about Biodiversity.
• Many delegates who visited the Biodiversity express in Hyderabad
wanted something similar done in their country. India will explore ways
of replicating this wonderful success of Biodiversity Express in other
countries by providing them appropriate support.
• In Hyderabad, a commemorative Pylon and a Biodiversity Garden have
been established. The Prime Minister of India had planted the first tree
on behalf of India, representatives of the participating countries have
also planted trees. It has been decided to establish a Biodiversity
Museum on this site. This will be a token of gratitude to the people of
Hyderabad whose hospitality had won the heart of every international
delegate. Hyderabad is the first host city of CBD CoP to establish
commemorative Pylon, garden and museum.
• During its Presidency India will take special steps to strengthen the
State Biodiversity Boards and to prepare Peoples Biodiversity Registers
at the village level. A sum of about Rs.250 crores has been approved for
this purpose.
• India will substantially increase its allocation for Biodiversity by
working closely with other Ministries for mainstreaming of Biodiversity.
• India has instituted together with UNDP Biodiversity Governance
Awards. The first such awards were given during the CoP 11. It is now
proposed to institute Rajiv Gandhi International Award for Harnessing
Biodiversity for Livelihood.
MC/sk
(Release ID :88557)
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