Organized by IUCN, the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), and the Mexican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, among others, the 18th session of the Global Biodiversity Forum (GBF-18) brought together 140 participants to discuss the interlinkages between trade and biodiversity from 5-7 September in Cancun, Mexcio.

Three workshops addressed: trade and sustainable livelihoods; risk, precaution and biosecurity; and the relationship between the CBD and TRIPs. All workshops raised concerns over the impacts of trade liberalization on biodiversity conservation and use. For ICTSD’s synopsis of the meeting, see: http://www.ictsd.org/biores/03-09-08/story1.htm. For more information on the GBF see: http://www.gbf.ch