CBD COP 12

The Twelfth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 12)

The Republic of Korea will be the generous and gracious host in Pyeongchang from 29 September to 17 October 2014. During these three weeks, representatives from the world’s governments will come together to discuss, plan and take decisions during three distinct meetings for the overall implementation of the Convention and its Protocols: the seventh Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP-MOP-7) from 29 September to 3rd October, the Twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP-12) from 6 to 17 October 2014, and the first Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (COP-MOP-1) from 13 to 17 October 2014.

The meetings in Pyeongchang, will be an opportunity to discuss the shared global vision for biodiversity and work to link the Strategic Plan with the global agenda for sustainable development. The host, the Government of the Republic of Korea, has agreed to make “Biodiversity for Sustainable Development” the theme of this COP.

The High-Level Segment, which runs from 15 to 16 October 2014, will be an important forum for discussions of the essential role of biodiversity for sustainable development. 

Pyeongchang will also host COP-MOP-7 for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which will also review progress on its Strategic Plan adopted at its fifth meeting. The Parties to the Protocol will use the meeting to re-double their efforts towards the full implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

This venue will also hold the first COP-MOP of the Nagoya Protocol. With its entry into force, the Nagoya Protocol fulfills the third objective of the Convention – equitable sharing of benefits from the use of the genetic resources of our planet. The CBD can now truly be said to be an instrument of sustainable development.

Running concurrently to these will also be a number of parallel events and summits that address the important role of the global network of partners and stakeholders for implementation of the Convention and its Strategic Plan. A summit on Cities, a forum on business, a fair of best practices in Communication, Education and Public Awareness and an entire programme of side-events will offer opportunities to share experiences on practical ways to accelerate implementation of the Convention and its Protocols.

Follow the CBD COP 12 at the following webpage: http://cbdcop12.kr/ (for the english version click in the top right area)

You can find the Report of the GEF to the COP here

Dr. Naoko Ishii's remarks at the opening of the high level segment of the COP an be found here

GEF SIDE EVENTS:

Monday October 6th 2014 - Hall B, Room 3

13:15 - 14:45

GEF-6 Biodiversity Strategy: Supporting Implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, 2011-2020 - PRESENTATION

 This side event will provide an overview of the GEF-6 biodiversity strategy and programming opportunities for countries

Tuesday October 7th 2014 - Hall B, Room 2 - ILCs meeting room

13:15 - 14:45

GEF Engagement with Indigenous Peoples - PRESENTATIONS: 1, 2, 3, 4

This side event will present an overview of the action undertaken by the GEF partnership with the Indigenous Peoples Advisory Group in implementing the Principles and Guidelines for Engagement with Indigenous Peoples and future plans to enhance monitoring, financial arrangements, and capacity development. It will also highlight the GEF portfolio of projects that involved Indigenous Peoples and identify lessons learned. The side event will be co-organized with the GEF Indigenous Peoples Advisory Group and GEF Agencies.

Wednesday October 8th 2014 - Rio Pavillion

13:15 - 14:45

Sustainable Financing of Protected Area Systems by the GEF

This side event will provide an overview of the GEF’s investments to ensure sustainable financing of protected area systems worldwide and highlight protected area systems projects that demonstrate the successful application of financing mechanisms including Conservation Trust Funds, Payment for Ecosystem Services schemes, off-sets, and various other means for generating revenues.

Thursday October 9th 2014 - Hall D, Room 1 -Asia and the Pacific Meeting Room

13:15 - 14:45

GEF Support to Building Capacity for Implementaion of the Nagoya Protocol

This side event will provide insights on how to make the best use of the technical and financial resources available from the GEF partnership to support national and regional implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. The GEF Agencies currently assisting with the development and implementation of ABS projects (UNDP, UNEP, IADB and IUCN) will elaborate on their experiences and comparative advantages for those countries interested in working with them during GEF-6. Some of the Executing Partners of existing projects will be invited to share their experiences. Significant time will be allowed for Parties to ask questions about the use of GEF resources and how to move forward with development of new ABS projects.

Friday October 10th 2014 - Hall D, Room 1 -Asia and the Pacific Meeting Room

13:15 - 14:45

Recipes for Success in Coastal Fisheries Management - PRESENTATIONS: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Coastal fisheries are one of the ocean’s greatest assets with tremendous opportunities for improvement and management for more sustainable fish stocks for global food security, generating more profits for coastal communities and helping to protect ocean biodiversity and habitats. There is a growing momentum to shift to sustainable coastal fisheries.  Success stories of proven reforms are flourishing around the world. It is imperative to capture these experiences and potentially scale them up. The side-event will present some of these success stories and will discuss the opportunities that they can offer for replication and scaling-up.

Monday October 13th 2014 - Rio Pavillion

16:45 - 18:00

GEF Support for Sustainable Forest Management - Deliviering Multiple Benefits - PRESENTATIONS: 1, 2, 3, 4, Video

The GEF has been an important advocate of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) across the world for more than 20 years. During GEF-5 (2010-2014), the GEF provided over $700 million of support to countries to manage their forest resources sustainably and provide a range of ecosystem services and diverse livelihood opportunities. The GEF-6 (2014-2018)  SFM strategy aims to maintain forest resources, enhance forest management and restore degraded forest ecosystems while at the same time increasing regional and global cooperation efforts to strengthen SFM. This event highlights the efforts of the GEF Partnership to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of forest.