Inter-linkages: BCH, Parties, Capacity Building, Compliance and RA Concept Sustainability

1. Inter-linkages: BCH, Parties, Capacity Building, Compliance and RA Concept Sustainability Biosafety Programme - Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

2. Outline Main topics: • Roles of the CBD, BCH & UNEP/GEF • Specific Aim of this Capacity Building activity as an integral part of the CP • BCH vis-à-vis NBF implementation • Role of RAs - (BCH sustainability) • Challenge: Sustainability of the RAs Concept

3. Role of the CBD, BCH & UNEP/GEF(Roles and issues in context) • COP-MOP - decision making body • CBD Secretariat (Home of the CP) - (servants !) • GEF – Financial Mechanism (RAF) • UNEP/GEF – Capacity Building (RAs) • Parties - Clients

4. Objective of the Protocol(Article 1) • “In accordance with the precautionary approach contained in Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration, … to contribute to ensuring an adequate level of protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, taking also into account risks to human health, and specifically focusing on transboundary movements.”

5. Scope of the Protocol Article 4: • This Protocol shall apply to the transboundary movement, transit, handling and use of all LMOs that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health. Article 5: • …..Protocol shall not apply to …. LMOs which are pharmaceuticals for humans that are addressed by other relevant international agreements or organizations.

6. CP Scope: Scenarios of Transboundary Movements(Implementation through BCH Capacity Building) 1. Intentional transboundary movements: • For introduction into the environment (e.g., crops for planting) • For direct use as food or feed or for processing (LMOs-FFP) (e.g., crops for human consumption) • For contained use (e.g., laboratory use) 2. Unintentional transboundary movements

7. Capacity-Building (Article 22) • Protocol calls for cooperation in the development and/or strengthening of human resources and institutional capacities in biosafety • COP/MOP adopted an action plan for building capacity, and a coordination mechanism for implementation of the action plan ** One of the most pressing capacity needs is capacity to make informed decisions based on risk assessment and other considerations

8. Overview of the Some Key Elements of the Biosafety Protocol Possible Transboundary Movement of an LMO For intentional release into environment For food, feed or processing • Supporting and Enabling Mechanisms: • Information-sharing and the Biosafety Clearing-House • Capacity-building • Public awareness • Mechanisms to promote compliance • Financial mechanism and resources • AIA Procedure: • Notification • Acknowledgement • Risk Assessment • Decision Making • Article 11 Procedure: • Approval for domestic use • Import decision under domestic framework or Annex III - Public Participation - Socio-Economic Considerations • Institutional Support Mechanisms: • Competent national authorities and national focal points • Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol • Secretariat Decision Requirements for safe handling, transport, packaging and documentation Review of Decision Transboundary Movement if approved New information Risk Management Monitoring

9. Biosafety Clearing-House Includes: • Roster of experts • Risk assessment summaries • Access to scientific information, and other biosafety resources and tools • Discussion forums

10. Roster of Experts • Established by COP, in fields related to risk assessment and management, to support developing country Parties • Government-nominated • Currently 500+ experts, searchable on BCH • Funding is available for use of experts from the roster ?? • Weaknesses: (a) many well-known experts are not yet nominated; (b) the level of detail in the database for many experts is inadequate for discerning actual expertise. • Possible entry Point for RAs ???

11. COP-MOP Decisions • COP/MOP-4 will consider the need for further guidance on specific aspects of risk assessment and risk management, and the appropriate modalities for development of any such guidance • Regional workshops on capacity-building and exchange of experiences on risk assessment and risk management • The ES, with inputs from Parties and Governments, will expand the compilation of guidance materials in the BCH, and will provide an overview showing the scope and applicability of each guidance material • COP/MOP-4 will consider potential mechanisms for provision of scientific and technical advice to the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol (such advice may cover, for example, identifying LMOs or traits thereof that may have adverse effects on biodiversity, and taking appropriate measures regarding treatment of such LMOs or traits (reference Article 16.5).

12. Mechanisms of Participation in Biosafety Protocol Processes • Participate at MOPs as representatives of governments or appropriate observer organizations (observers are welcome) • Organize side-events at MOPs as scientific bodies or institutions • Contribute to MOP-4 preparatory work by contributing information sources and guidance materials to the secretariat related to risk assessment and risk management • Offer expertise to existing capacity-building projects (see databases on the BCH) and upcoming capacity-building workshops in each region • Offer expertise directly to Parties if requested (funding available if on the biosafety roster of experts)

13. Role of RAs • Training on details of the Protocol • Advice on paraphernalia (hardware) • Option for information entry • How are we doing? • Are we Achieving sustainability? • Are our clients anxious to engage us? • Marketing the RA concept (Side Events)!

14. Challenge: Sustainability of RAs Concept • Finance • Marketing – services of the RAs • COP-MOP decision and finance • Medium- term- • active involvement in implementation projects • Donor funded activities to support the project (MGW) • Long term- country demand • COP-MOP decision • Special Integration in Roaster of Experts • Way Forward – Ideas, Ideas, Ideas !!!!!

15. Further Information • The CBD Secretariat (Biosafety Programme)Montreal, Canada • Email: secretariat@biodiv.orgTel: + 1 514 288-3330Fax: + 1 514 288-6588 • The CBD Website – www.biodiv.org • The BCH Website – bch.biodiv.org