5 Annex 1

Convention on Biological Diversity

The world community's growing commitment to sustainable development inspired the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It represents a dramatic step forward in the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The Convention, which came into effect in January 1994, urges each signatory country to develop a national strategy for long-term preservation of biodiversity. By June 1996, more than 150 countries had ratified the CBD.

Articles of particular interest to the workshop were: 

Article 1 describes the three main objectives of the CBD and calls for Contracting Parties to "pursue ... the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, ... taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding".

Article 6 ("general measures for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity") further calls for all countries to develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Article 8 (in situ conservation), Article 9 (ex situ conservation) and Article 10 (sustainable use of components of biological diversity) are also relevant. They further stipulate the importance of national policy and implementation strategies to achieve the objectives of the Convention.