Plan to be adopted during
tenth Conference of the Parties
19/10/2010
At the First Forum
on South-South Cooperation on Biodiversity
for Development, convened in Nagoya on 17
October, the Group of 77 and China unanimously
adopted a draft Multi-Year Plan of Action
on South-South Cooperation on Biodiversity
for Development.
"The Plan defines
targets and South-South cooperative strategies,
including triangular cooperation and programmes,
to the year 2020", said H.E. Ambassador
Abdullah M. Alsaidi, Permanent Representative
of Yemen and Chairman of the G77. "The
Plan also reflects the need to include consideration
of the loss of biodiversity in other types
of South-South and triangular agreements,
therefore, calls for further exchange of
knowledge and technology among Member States."
"The adoption of
the Plan by the Group of 77 and China is
a milestone towards a successful outcome
of the tenth meeting of the Conference of
the Parties", said Ahmed Djoghlaf,
Executive Secretary of the Convention on
Biological Diversity. He thanked Ambassador
Alsaidi for his leadership in building consensus
of the 131 Parties of the Group of 77 and
China, as well as H.E. Ambassador Conrod
Hunte of Antigua and Barbuda, the past Chair
of the G-77, for his contribution to the
development of the Plan. He also welcomed
the proactive attitude of H.E. Ambassador
Daniel Chuburu, Argentina, who is the future
Chair of the G-77.
Participants from Grenada,
Brazil and Malawi highlighted the importance
of a united voice from all 131 Parties of
the Group of 77 and China, to the overall
success of the meeting of the Conference
of the Parties, particularly on key issues
such as the adoption of the international
regime on access and benefit-sharing (ABS),
the 2011-2020 Strategic Plan and a suitable
financial mechanism to support their implementation.
Participants agreed also on a regular coordination
meeting schedule during the meeting.
"Developed countries are our partners,
and we must seek constructive collaboration
with them", stated Ambassador Alsaidi,
on behalf of the Group of 77 and China "We
look forward to its adoption at this meeting
of the Conference of the Parties to the
Convention on Biological Diversity and we
call on our partners to support for its
implementation."
Source: Convention on Biological Diversity
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Minister receives award
in Washington for protected areas
Izabella Teixeira represents
the Brazilian government in a special tribute
granted by WWF
20/10/2010
On behalf of the Brazilian government, the
minister of the Environment, Izabella Teixeira,
received on October 19, in Washington DC,
a special recognition of WWF concerning
the success of the Amazon Region Protected
Areas Program (ARPA), responsible for creating
24 million hectares of conservation units
of Brazil, an area equivalent to the UK.
According to the Global
Biodiversity Outlook, released in 2010 by
UNEP, Brazil leads the creation of protected
areas on the planet. According to the report,
about 75% of 700,000 sq km of protected
areas set up around the world since 2003
are located in Brazilian territory.
Granted by both WWF
Brazil and WWF United States, the award
acknowledges achievements in implementing
the first phase of ARPA, from 2003 to 2009.
"It is a recognition of our country,
living a very special and auspicious moment
in which economic growth occurs along the
undeniable environmental achievements,"
minister Izabella Teixeira said.
According to her, the
great global challenges require bold and
creative solutions, different from conventional
solutions. "ARPA is certainly an example
of such a solution," she said. Divided
into three phases, ARPA has the goal of
creating 45 million hectares of conservation
and sustainable use of protected areas by
2017.
Besides the creation
of protected areas, the program also supported
the consolidation of 18 existing units in
an area of 8,500,000 hectares, created before
March 2000. During the first phase, the
government created the Protected Areas Fund,
with $ 25 million raised, and run community
projects in the vicinity of conservation
units.
According to a study
by WWF / UFMG / IPAM / Woods Hole Research
Centre in Massachusetts, the reduction of
CO2 emissions promoted by ARPA, scheduled
until 2050, accounts for 70% of the goal
of global reducing emissions commitment
agreed in the first Kyoto Protocol.
The minister also pointed
out the Brazilian government's efforts to
reduce deforestation in the Amazon. Izabella
Teixeira said that from August 2008 to July
2009 was recorded the lowest rate of forest
clearing, with 7,000 sq km.
ASCOM
