ENB @ COP-7; 9-20 February 2004; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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SUMMARY

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7th CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (COP-7)

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 9-20 February 2004

Daily Web Coverage	\|Mon 9\|	\|Tue 10\|	\|Wed 11\|	\|Thu 12\|	\|Fri 13\|
\|Curtain\|	\|Mon 16\|	\|Tue 17\|	\|Wed 18\|	\|Thu 19\|	\|Fri 20\|

Highlights for Wednesday 18 February 2004

COP-7 delegates met throughout the day in two Working Groups (WGs). WG-I discussed conference room papers (CRPs) on: mountain biodiversity; proposals for future actions for thematic work programmes; inland water ecosystems; marine and coastal biodiversity; monitoring and indicators; the ecosystem approach; biodiversity and climate change; the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI); the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC); sustainable use; biodiversity and tourism; and invasive alien species (IAS). WG-II addressed CRPs on: communication, education and public awareness (CEPA); technology transfer and cooperation; financial mechanism and resources; operations of the Convention; and access and benefit-sharing (ABS). Contact groups on the budget, protected areas (PAs), and the Strategic Plan convened. A brief Plenary was held in the afternoon to review progress in the WGs and the contact group on the budget. The Ministerial Segment started discussions on ABS, technology transfer and cooperation, and scientific assessments.

Above photo: Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak giving his opening remarks to COP-7 Ministerial Segment participants.

Working Group I: Mountain Biodiversity

NEW ZEALAND reserved its position regarding references to the Akwé: Kon guidelines on impact assessment. Above photo L-R: Alan Reid and Charlotte Cudby (New Zealand)

Ireland said the EU opposed language noting that activities implemented to support the work programme on mountain biodiversity should not cause distortions to international commodity trade. Above photo: Marie Dromey (Ireland)

Marine and Coastal Biodiversity

BRAZIL expressed its concern with the operational objective of the work programme on marine and coastal biodiversity that addresses information to Parties regarding marine and coastal genetic resources, including bioprospecting.

Above photo: Mitzi Gurgel Valente da Costa (Brazil)

Argentina opposed references to the positive effects of mariculture in the decision related to marine and coastal biodiversity.

Above photo: Victoria Lichtshein and Raul Estrada (Argentina)

Biodiversity and Tourism:

Above photo: Delegates discussing whether decision making should include the prior informed consent, or the consultation, of indigenous and local communities affected by projects.

Working Group II: CEPA



The IIFB stressed geographic and linguistic diversity and gender considerations Above photo: Lucy Mulenkei (IIFB)	ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA (above right) suggested creating a CEPA post in the Secretariat. Diann Black Layne (Antigua and Barbuda) and NORWAY (center) stressed the need for regional representation and, with the IIFB, for indigenous participation in a consultative CEPA Working Group. Above photo L-R: Diann Black-Layne (Antigua and Barbuda ), Silvi Samstag, and Palau in an informal CEPA consultation.

Ministerial Segment:

Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister, said benefit-sharing is central to biodiversity conservation.

COP-7 President Dato’ Seri Law (above left), Malaysia’s Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment, called on Ministers to provide guidance and political impetus to COP-7.

Klaus Töpfer, UNEP Executive Director, noted the merit of a more focused COP agenda.

CBD Executive Secretary Hamdallah Zedan stressed the need to develop a holistic framework for implementation in order to achieve the target to significantly reduce biodiversity loss by 2010.

Presentations:

Above photo from L-R: A.H. Zakri (United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies), Alfred Oteng-Yeboah (SBSTTA-9 Chair) (center) and Walter Reid (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment) (right) presented on the Ministerial Segment’s thematic issues, namely ABS, technology transfer and cooperation, and scientific assessments.

Statements:

H.E. Masoumeh Ebtekar (Iran) said the 10^th anniversary of the CBD is good opportunity to renew the commitment for biodiversity conservation.

H.R.H. Prince Turki bin Nasir bin Abdul Aziz (Saudi Arabia) noted that technology transfer, capacity building and private sector involvement are prerequisites of truly equitable benefit sharing.