October 2014: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has released a review of its support for capacity building and implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) provisions on access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization (ABS), as well as for the ratification and implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on ABS.

Titled ‘Building Capacity to Implement the Nagoya Protocol: A Review of GEF Support,’ the document provides an overview of support provided since 2003, including under the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF), which aims to aid the early entry onto force and effective implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on ABS.

Prior to the Nagoya Protocol’s adoption in 2010, support was provided under the GEF-3 (2002-2006) and GEF-4 (2006-2010) Biodiversity Strategies to promote concrete ABS agreements, including three regional projects assisting 40 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin American and the Caribbean, and national projects in Ethiopia and India.

Since 2011, the NPIF has supported ratification and implementation of the Nagoya Protocol in more than 60 countries through one global, two regional and 10 national projects. The review highlights challenges and opportunities emerging from this work including on: legal and administrative measures; traditional knowledge; national and regional parks; public awareness; research and development; marine bioprospecting; and joint ventures and partnerships.

The Nagoya Protocol on ABS was adopted at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010. It entered into force on 12 October 2014 and currently has 54 Parties. [GEF News Release] [Publication: Building Capacity to Implement the Nagoya Protocol: A Review of GEF Support]