Handbook of the Convention on Biological Diversity

Hardback  600pp  ISBN 9781853837487      £85.00

Softcover  600pp  ISBN 9781853837371      £45.00

Free CD-Rom inside

The rich tapestry of life on our planet is the outcome of over 3.5 billion years of evolutionary history, shaped by natural processes and, increasingly, by the influence of humans. Out of an estimated 13 million species, about 1.75 million have so far been identified. The importance of biological diversity - the genetic differences of species and the variety of ecosystems such as in deserts, forests, wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers, seas and agricultural landscapes - for the health of people and the planet was acknowledged at the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 when the vast majority of the world's governments signed the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The Convention sets out commitments for national and international measures aimed at preserving the vital ecosystems and biological resources on which we all depend. Its three main goals are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources.

This official Handbook, compiled by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, contains the full texts of the Convention, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the decisions of the Conference of the Parties from 1994 to 2000. It presents all the most important information about the Convention and the Protocol, including a description of the background to the Convention and its institutional arrangements, a guide to the decisions adopted and a guide to ongoing activities in relation to particular Articles and thematic areas. Two indexes allow users to search for key terms and for particular Articles, decisions and recommendations.

The accompanying CD-Rom contains the electronic book (e-book) of the Handbook, automatically indexed and cross-referenced, with full search facilities. It also holds all the relevant background material to the Convention, linked to relevant decisions and other sources of information.

CONTENTS

Foreword by Hamdallah Zedan

Introduction: The operation of the Convention on Biological Diversity
Acronyms and abbreviations

I Convention on Biological Diversity

II Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity

III Rules of procedure for meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity

IV Modus operandi of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice

V Financial rules for the administration of the Trust Fund for the Convention on Biological Diversity

VI Guide to the decisions of the Conference of the Parties

Articles of the Convention on Biological Diversity

Preamble
Article 1 Objectives
Article 2 Use of terms
Article 3 Principle
Article 4 Jurisdictional scope
Article 5 Cooperation
Article 6 General measures for conservation and sustainable use
Article 7 Identification and monitoring
Indicators
Taxonomy
Article 8 In-situ conservation
Protected areas (Article 8 (a)-(c))
Ecosystems, habitats and viable populations (Article 8 (d))
Buffer zones (Article 8 (e))
Rehabilitation of ecosystems and recovery of threatened species (Article 8 (f))
Biosafety (Article 8 (g))
Alien species (Article 8 (h))
Traditional knowledge (Article 8 (j) and related provisions)
Mitigation of threats (Article 8 (l))
Article 9 Ex-situ conservation
Article 10 Sustainable use of components of biological diversity Tourism
Article 11 Incentive measures
Article 12 Research and training
Article 13 Public education and awareness
Article 14 Impact assessment and minimizing adverse impacts
Article 15 Access to genetic resources
Article 16 Access to and transfer of technology
Article 17 Exchange of information
Article 18 Technical and scientific cooperation
Capacity-building (Article 18 (1), (2), (4) and (5))
Clearing-house mechanism (Article 18 (3))
Article 19 Handling of biotechnology and distribution of its benefits
Participating in biotechnological research and promoting access to results and benefits (Article 19 (1) and (2))
Consideration of the need for and modalities of a protocol on biosafety (Article 19 (3) and (4))
Articles 20, 21 & 39 Financial resources, financial mechanism and financial interim arrangements
Article 22 Relationship with other international conventions
Article 23 Conference of the Parties
Article 24 Secretariat
Cooperation with other biodiversity-related conventions, processes and organizations
Article 25 Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice
Article 26 Reports
Article 27 Settlement of disputes
Article 28 Adoption of protocols
Article 29 Amendment of the Convention or protocols
Article 30 Adoption and amendment of annexes
Article 31 Right to vote
Article 32 Relationship between this Convention and its protocols
Article 33 Signature
Article 34 Ratification, acceptance or approval
Article 35 Accession
Article 36 Entry into force
Article 37 Reservations
Article 38 Withdrawals
Article 40 Secretariat interim arrangements
Article 41 Depositary
Article 42 Authentic texts
Annex I Identification and monitoring
Annex II Arbitration and conciliation

Thematic work programmes

Forest biological diversity
Inland water biological diversity
Agricultural biological diversity
Marine and coastal biological diversity
Dry and sub-humid lands
Ecosystem approach

VII Status of signature, ratification, accession, acceptance and approval - Convention on Biological Diversity and Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

VIII Declarations

IX Nairobi Final Act of the Conference for the Adoption of the Agreed Text of the Convention on Biological Diversity

X Decisions of the Conference of the Parties (with relevant SBSTTA recommendations)

First meeting of the Conference of the Parties

Decision I/1 Rules of procedure for the Conference of the Parties
Decision I/2 Financial resources and mechanism
Decision I/3 Clearing-house mechanism for technical and scientific cooperation
Decision I/4 Selection of a competent international organization to carry out the functions of the Secretariat of the Convention
Decision I/5 Support to the Secretariat by international organizations
Decision I/6 Financing of and budget for the Convention
Decision I/7 Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice
Decision I/8 Preparation of the participation of the Convention on Biological Diversity in the third session of the Commission on Sustainable Development
Decision I/9 Medium-term programme of work of the Conference of the Parties
Decision I/10 Location of the Secretariat
Decision I/11 Preparation for the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties
Decision I/12 International Day for Biological Diversity
Decision I/13 Tribute to the Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas

Second meeting of the Conference of the Parties

Decision II/1 Report of the first meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice
Recommendation I/6 Global Biodiversity Outlook
Decision II/2 Publication and distribution of scientific and technical information
Decision II/3 Clearing-house mechanism
Decision II/4 Ways and means to promote and facilitate access to, and transfer and development of technology
Decision II/5 Consideration of the need for and modalities of a protocol for the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms
Decision II/6 Financial resources and mechanism
Decision II/7 Consideration of Articles 6 and 8 of the Convention
Decision II/8 Preliminary consideration of components of biological diversity particularly under threat and action which could be taken under the Convention
Recommendation I/3 Alternative ways and means in which the Conference of the Parties could start the process of considering the components of biological diversity particularly those under threat and the identification of action which could be taken under the Convention
Decision II/9 Forests and biological diversity
Decision II/10 Conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biological diversity
Decision II/11 Access to genetic resources
Decision II/12 Intellectual property rights
Decision II/13 Cooperation with other biodiversity-related conventions
Decision II/14 Convening of an open-ended inter-governmental workshop on cooperation between the Convention on Biological Diversity and other international conventions on related issues
Decision II/15 FAO Global System for the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Decision II/16 Statement to the International Technical Conference on the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Decision II/17 Form and intervals of national reports by Parties
Recommendation I/5 Scientific and technical information to be contained in the national reports
Decision II/18 Medium-term programme of work of the Conference of the Parties for 1996-1997
Decision II/19 Location of the Secretariat
Decision II/20 Financing of and budget for the Convention
Decision II/21 Venue and date of the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties
Decision II/22 Convening of regional and subregional meetings for Parties to the Convention
Decision II/23 Tribute to the Government and people of the Republic of Indonesia

Third meeting of the Conference of the Parties

Decision III/1 Pending issues arising from the work of the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties
Decision III/2 Report and recommendations of the second meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice
Decision III/3 Use of languages in the meetings of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice
Decision III/4 Clearing-house mechanism to promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation
Decision III/5 Additional guidance to the financial mechanism
Decision III/6 Additional financial resources
Decision III/7 Guidelines for the review of the effectiveness of the financial mechanism
Decision III/8 Memorandum of understanding between the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Council of the Global Environment Facility
Decision III/9 Implementation of Articles 6 and 8 of the Convention
Decision III/10 Identification, monitoring and assessment
Recommendation II/1 Assessment of biological diversity and methodologies for future assessments;
Identification, monitoring and assessment of components of biological diversity and of processes that have adverse impacts;
Review and promotion of indicators of biological diversity
Recommendation II/2 Practical approaches for capacity-building for taxonomy
Decision III/11 Conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biological diversity
Decision III/12 Programme of work for terrestrial biological diversity: Forest biological diversity
Decision III/13 Future programme of work for terrestrial biological diversity: Dryland, mountain and inland water ecosystems
Decision III/14 Implementation of Article 8 (j)
Decision III/15 Access to genetic resources
Decision III/16 Ways to promote and facilitate access to and transfer and development of technology, as envisaged in Articles 16 and 8 of the Convention
Recommendation II/3 Ways and means to promote and facilitate access to, and transfer and development of technology, including biotechnology
Decision III/17 Intellectual property rights
Decision III/18 Incentive measures
Recommendation II/9 Economic valuation of biological diversity
Decision III/19 Special session of the General Assembly to review implementation of Agenda 21
Decision III/20 Issues related to biosafety
Recommendation II/5 Capacity-building for biosafety
Decision III/21 Relationship of the Convention with the Commission on Sustainable Development and biodiversity-related conventions, other international agreements, institutions and processes of relevance
Decision III/22 Medium-term programme of work for 1996-1997
Decision III/23 Administrative matters
Decision III/24 Budget of the Trust Fund for the Convention on Biological Diversity
Decision III/25 Date and venue of the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties
Decision III/26 Convening of regional and subregional meetings for Parties to the Convention
Decision III/27 Tribute to the Government and people of the Argentine Republic

Fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties

Decision IV/1 Report and recommendations of the third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, and instructions by the Conference of the Parties to the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice
Recommendation III/5 Current approaches to indicator development and recommendations for a preliminary core set of indicators of biological diversity, particularly those related to threats, and options for capacity-building in developing countries in the application of guidelines and indicators for subsequent national reports
Decision IV/2 Review of the operations of the clearing-house mechanism
Decision IV/3 Issues related to biosafety
Decision IV/4 Status and trends of the biological diversity of inland water ecosystems and options for conservation and sustainable use
Decision IV/5 Conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal ecosystems, including a programme of work
Decision IV/6 Agricultural biological diversity
Recommendation III/4 Review of ongoing activities on agricultural biological diversity
Decision IV/7 Forest biological diversity
Decision IV/8 Access and benefit-sharing
Decision IV/9 Implementation of Article 8 (j) and related provisions
Decision IV/10 Measures for implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity
Decision IV/11 Review of the effectiveness of the financial mechanism
Decision IV/12 Additional financial resources
Decision IV/13 Additional guidance to the financial mechanism
Decision IV/14 National reports by Parties
Decision IV/15 The relationship of the Convention on Biological Diversity with the Commission on Sustainable Development and biodiversity-related conventions, other international agreements, institutions and processes of relevance
Decision IV/16 Institutional matters and the programme of work
Decision IV/17 Programme budget for the biennium 1999-2000
Administrative arrangements between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Decision IV/18 Date and venue of the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties
Decision IV/19 Tribute to the Government and people of the Slovak Republic

First part of the first extraordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties

Decision EM-I/1 Decision on the continuation of the first extraordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity
Decision EM-I/2 Tribute to the Government and people of Colombia

Resumed session of the first extraordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties

Decision EM-I/3 Adoption of the Cartagena Protocol and interim arrangements

Fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties

Decision V/1 Work plan of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
Decision V/2 Progress report on the implementation of the programme of work on the biological diversity of inland water ecosystems
Decision V/3 Progress report on the implementation of the programme of work on marine and coastal biological diversity
Recommendation V/14, annex II Proposed terms of reference and duration of work for the ad hoc technical expert groups on marine and coastal protected areas, mariculture and forest biological diversity
Decision V/4 Progress report on the implementation of the programme of work for forest biological diversity
Decision V/5 Agricultural biological diversity: Review of phase I of the programme of work and adoption of a multi-year work programme
Decision V/6 Ecosystem approach
Decision V/7 Identification, monitoring and assessment, and indicators
Decision V/8 Alien species that threaten ecosystems, habitats or species
Decision V/9 Global Taxonomy Initiative: Implementation and further advance of the suggestions for action
Decision V/10 Global strategy for plant conservation
Decision V/11 Additional financial resources
Decision V/12 Second review of the financial mechanism
Decision V/13 Further guidance to the financial mechanism
Decision V/14 Scientific and technical cooperation and the clearing-house mechanism
Longer-term programme of work of the clearing-house mechanism
Decision V/15 Incentive measures
Decision V/16 Article 8 (j) and related provisions
Decision V/17 Education and public awareness
Decision V/18 Impact assessment, liability and redress
Decision V/19 National reporting
Decision V/20 Operations of the Convention
Decision V/21 Cooperation with other bodies
Decision V/22 Budget of the programme of work for the biennium 2001-2002
Decision V/23 Consideration of options for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in dryland, Mediterranean, arid, semi-arid, grassland and savannah ecosystems
Decision V/24 Sustainable use as a cross-cutting issue
Decision V/25 Biological diversity and tourism
Decision V/26 Access to genetic resources
Decision V/27 Contribution of the Convention on Biological Diversity to the ten-year review of progress achieved since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
Decision V/28 Tribute to the Government and people of Kenya
Decision V/29 Date and venue of the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties

Index of key terms
Index of Articles, decisions and recommendations