27 October 2010: The High-level Segment of the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) opened on 27 October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan. In his statement, Joseph Deiss, President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), conveyed expectations from the high-level meeting of the UNGA on biodiversity, which included an agreement on Access and Benefit-sharing, the adoption of a strategic plan, and the timely establishment of an Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon, reported on the Pan-African Conference on Biodiversity and Poverty Alleviation. He supported the establishment of an IPBES, proposing that an African committee be set up to contribute to Africa’s scientific and technical capacities.

President of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick, pointed towards the Global Tiger Initiative as an example of successful conservation engaging a broad range of government and community stakeholders. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), stressed that science and economics must play a key role in providing independent advice and in illustrating how conventional models of growth have resulted in extraordinary impoverishment. Monique Barbut, CEO of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), pointed to the 50% increase in GEF funding and initiatives for making GEF funds more accessible through a range of new partnerships. Naoto Kan, Prime Minister of Japan, announced the Life in Harmony Initiative, which will disperse US$2 billion over three years to assist developing country development and implementation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans.

Other speakers included UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, CBD Executive Secretary Ahmed Djoghlaf, and Ali Mohammed Mujawwar, Prime Minister of Yemen, on behalf of the G-77/China. [IISD RS Coverage of First Day of High Level Segment] [IISD RS coverage of COP 10]