Fresh hope for forests: 6th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity concludes

Activities to this end include making stronger moves against illegal logging, for instance through developing codes of conduct for logging companies and through promoting the certification of sustainably produced timber. Moreover, the establishment of networks of forest conservation areas shall improve the prospects for effective nature conservation. The negotiation outcomes are definitely a step forward. Nonetheless, to enforce more effectively the urgently required conservation of forests a need remains to supplement the voluntary work programme over the long term through a legally binding protocol to the Biodiversity Convention. Mechanisms must be put in place to monitor the measures agreed, for otherwise it will be scarcely possible to exert the necessary political pressure to comply with agreements.

Important progress on fair access to genetic resources

The conference also succeeded in establishing agreement on the equitable sharing of benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. The Council views this, too, as a major step forward. The genetic resources occurring in nature are an essential basis for developing new medicines and foods and can thus be extremely valuable. The Bonn Guidelines now adopted stipulate that the benefits derived from utilizing this ‘green gold’ must be shared equitably between developing and industrialized countries. The conference also succeeded in strengthening safeguards for the rights of indigenous peoples relating to the utilization of their traditional knowledge. The guidelines agreed upon are initially non-binding, but in this sphere, too, the Biodiversity Convention process is, over the long term, on the path towards an additional protocol binding under international law.

Biodiversity loss to be reduced significantly by 2010

Furthermore, agreement was found to reduce the loss of biological diversity significantly by the year 2010. To this end, a list of concrete goals was elaborated which the parties to the Convention are to implement by that date. The meeting in The Hague succeeded in producing outcomes on many controversial issues, in some instances after several years of negotiations; including the issue of invasive alien species.