2 February 2011: The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) was opened for signature by parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on 2 February, in a ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York, US.

On the occasion of the opening ceremony, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on all parties to expedite the early entry into force of this new legal instrument at the service of sustainable development and to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. On behalf of the President of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the CBD, Japan’s Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, Tatsushi Terada, said, “The historic adoption of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing was indeed the fruit of the collective efforts of all the Parties. The next step that we need to focus is the early entry into force and the effective implementation of the Protocol.”

Representatives of Colombia, Yemen, Brazil and Algeria signed the Nagoya Protocol during the ceremony. The Protocol will remain open for signing until 1 February 2012, at UN Headquarters in New York. The Protocol will enter into force 90 days after the deposit of the 50th instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession. COP 11, which will convene in India from 8-19 October 2012, is the target for convening the first meeting of the Parties to the Protocol. To achieve this target, the Nagoya Protocol must enter into force no later than 8 October 2012, with the 50th instrument of ratification deposited no later than 10 July 2012.

At the opening for signature event, Monique Barbut, CEO and Chair of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), announced a US$1 million dollar project to support the early entry into force of the Protocol. [CBD Press Release] [UN Press Conference] [UN Press Release]