|
|
 |
BRIDGES
Trade BioRes
| Volume
6
|
Number
6
|
Date: 3 April 2006
|
|
|
|
COP-8
Focuses On Process, Charts Next Steps On ABS and Incentives
|
The
Eighth Conference of the Parties (COP-8) to the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD) closed its two-week meeting in Curitiba, Brazil, on
31 March with a record number of participants and side-events. Much
of the discussions on the more contentious issues, however, including
those most immediately related to trade, focused more on process than
substance. On access and benefit-sharing (ABS), Parties agreed on
how to structure upcoming talks on an international ABS regime, setting
2010 as the deadline for the negotiations. On incentive measures,
Parties effectively put related discussions on the backburner until
the next COP when the incentives work programme is up for an in-depth
review. more |
|
|
|
Commentary
on Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety MOP-3 By Tomme Young
|
The
third Meeting of the Parties (MOP-3) to the Cartagena Protocol on
Biosafety was held in the week immediately prior to COP-8 to the Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Curitiba, Brazil. From the opening
speeches by the Governor of the state of Parana -- which has declared
itself free of living modified organisms (LMOs) -- and the Deputy
Minister of Brazil's federal environmental ministry, which recognises
and supports the use of a number of LMO varieties in commercial agriculture,
it was clear that this meeting was seen as an opportunity for many
to express strongly held beliefs on all sides of the issue. Nonetheless,
the tone of MOP-3 overall was one of collaboration and consensus development.
While surprising many who had been at MOP-2, this tone and outcome
provided hope to many who have worried about the future of CBD processes.
This commentary briefly reflects on four points that received primary
attention throughout the meeting.
more |
|
|
Latin
American Countries Band Together Against Water Liberalisation
|
Five
Latin American countries announced at the World Water Forum, held
from 16-22 March in Mexico City, that they were forming a "common
front" against the inclusion of water-related commitments in
the WTO. Representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay
and Venezuela said that they would call on their trade negotiators
to halt all negotiations on drinking water and basic sanitation at
the WTO and in other free trade agreements. At the same time, activists
mobilising on the outskirts of the meeting welcomed this declaration
as a "victory" against the privatisation of water provision.
more |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
