30
May 2008: The ninth Conference of the Parties (COP 9) to the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) was held from 19-30 May 2008, in Bonn, Germany. The
COP addressed a range of issues related to climate change, including ocean
fertilization, biofuels and biodiversity, and forest biodiversity. [Photo: COP 9 President Sigmar Gabriel gaveled the meeting to
a close at 9:00 pm]

The
decision on the agenda item on biodiversity and climate change
(UNEP/CBD/COP/9/L.36) includes sections on: proposals for the integration of
climate change activities within the programme of work of the CBD; options for
mutually supportive actions addressing climate change within the three Rio
conventions; ocean fertilization; summary of the findings of the global
assessment on peatlands, biodiversity and climate change; and three annexes
relating to ongoing activities in the framework of the Rio conventions, an
indicative list of activities by parties to support synergies, and terms of
reference for an ad hoc technical
expert group (AHTEG) on biodiversity and climate change. The COP decides to
integrate climate change considerations into each programme of work,
considering the assessment of potential impacts of climate change and both the
positive and negative impacts of climate change mitigation and adaptation
activities on relevant ecosystems. It urges parties to enhance integration of
climate change considerations related to biodiversity in the implementation of
the CBD, with the full and effective involvement of relevant stakeholders.
Recognizing the distinct mandates of each convention and the need to avoid
duplication and promote cost savings, the COP requests the Executive Secretary
to collaborate with the Secretariats of the other Rio conventions. It welcomes
consideration of REDD in the UNFCCC, and invites the UNFCCC to take full
account of opportunities for its work to provide benefits for biodiversity, and
recognizes the need to provide biodiversity-relevant information to the UNFCCC
processes in a timely manner. The COP establishes an AHTEG on biodiversity and
climate change, including representatives of indigenous and local communities
and small island developing states. The COP requests parties and others, in
accordance with the precautionary approach, to ensure that ocean fertilization
activities do not take place until there is an adequate scientific basis on which
to justify such activities, and urges parties to act in accordance with the
decision of the 1972 London Convention. The COP recognizes the importance of
the conservation and sustainable use of wetland biodiversity, particularly
peatlands, in addressing climate change.
Biofuels
were considered as part of the agenda item on agricultural biodiversity.
Despite lengthy debates, there was no agreement on adopting sustainability
criteria for biofuel production. The decision on biofuels and biodiversity
(UNEP/CBD/COP/9/L.35) includes sections on policy frameworks, research and
monitoring, collaboration, and tools relevant for sustainable production and
use of biofuels. The COP urges parties and invites other governments, among
other actions, to: promote sustainable production and use of biofuels with a
view to promote benefits and minimize risks to biodiversity; promote the
positive and minimize the negative impacts on biodiversity that would affect
socioeconomic conditions and food and energy security; and develop and apply
sound policy frameworks. The COP recognizes that supportive measures,
consistent with national and regional policies, should promote the positive,
and minimize the negative, impacts of biofuel production and use on
biodiversity. It calls upon parties to investigate and monitor the impacts of
biofuels on biodiversity and related socioeconomic aspects, and urges them to
strengthen development cooperation to promote sustainable production and use of
biofuels through the transfer of technologies and information exchange. The COP
recognizes the CBD’s role in biodiversity-related aspects of the sustainable
production and use of biofuels, and encourages parties to share experiences on
the development and application of relevant tools. It encourages parties to
participate in efforts addressing these matters, and encourages the private
sector to improve the social and environmental performance of biofuel
production, in particular through voluntary initiatives. The COP requests the
Executive Secretary to compile submissions from parties on these experiences
and to convene regional workshops, and requests SBSTTA to consider these inputs
and to recommend, for consideration by COP 10, ways and means to promote the
positive and minimize the negative impacts of biofuel production and use.
The
impact of biofuel production and consumption, along with issues related to the
impact of climate change on forest biodiversity, reducing emissions from
deforestation, collaboration with the UNFCCC, and genetically modified trees
(GM trees) were addressed during discussions on forest biodiversity. In the subsequent decision (UNEP/CBD/COP/9/L.33), the COP urges
parties to promote scientific research to better understand the impacts of
climate change, including mitigation and adaptation activities, and
environmental degradation on forest biodiversity and on the livelihoods of
indigenous and local communities. On GM trees, the COP urges parties to:
reaffirm the need to take a precautionary approach; authorize the release of GM
trees only after completion of studies in containment, addressing long-term
effects as well as thorough, comprehensive, science-based and transparent risk
assessments; and acknowledge the entitlement of parties, in accordance with
their domestic legislation, to suspend the release of GM trees. The COP also
invites parties to: ensure that possible actions for reducing emissions from
deforestation and forest degradation do not run counter to the Convention’s
objectives but support implementation of the work programme and provide
benefits for forest biodiversity and, where possible, to indigenous and local
communities; and address both, direct and indirect, positive and negative
impacts that the production and use of biomass for energy, in particular
large-scale and/or industrial production and use, might have on forest
biodiversity and on indigenous and local communities. The COP requests the CBD
Executive Secretary to collaborate with the other members of the Collaborative
Partnership on Forests in order to support parties’ efforts to address reducing
emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries in
the framework of the UNFCCC.
On
other issues, in its decision on financial resources (UNEP/CBD/COP/9/L.37), the
COP invites the COP/MOP to the Kyoto Protocol to request the Adaptation Fund
Board to consider the co-benefits of biodiversity and its ecosystem services in
its projects.
Under
the decision on Article 8(j) (traditional knowledge) (UNEP/CBD/COP/9/L.25), the
COP invites the UNFCCC COP to take note of the
implications of climate change on biodiversity‑related traditional knowledge,
innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities; and encourages
CBD parties to consider, as far as possible and as appropriate, introducing necessary
measures for ensuring the full and effective participation of indigenous and
local communities in formulating, implementing and monitoring climate change
mitigation and adaptation activities where this could affect biological
diversity and biodiversity-related traditional knowledge. [Earth
Negotiations Bulletin] [CBD]