Biodiversity Forum

Mark Eakin eakin at ogp.noaa.gov
Tue Aug 22 08:40:05 EDT 1995


                      Subject:                              Time:  9:41 AM 
  OFFICE MEMO         Biodiversity Forum                    Date:  8/22/95 

Forwarded Message: 

ANNOUNCEMENT   CALL FOR PAPERS 


GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FORUM 
4-5 November 1995 
Atlet Century Park Hotel 
Jl Pintu Satu Senayan 
Jakarta, Indonesia 


Convenors: 

Indonesian Biodiversity Foundation (KEHATI) 
Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) - Indonesia Programme 
IUCN - The World Conservation Union 
World Resources Institute (WRI) 
African Centre for Technological Studies (ACTS) 
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 




BACKGROUND 

The third meeting of the Global Biodiversity Forum (GBF) will be 
convened on 4-5 November 1995, immediately prior to the second 
meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on 
Biological Diversity (COP2), 6-17 November 1995.  GBF-Jakarta 
will be held at the Atlet Century Park Hotel, which is near the 
venue for COP2. 

The GBF provides for an independent, open process to foster 
analysis and unencumbered dialogue and debate among interested 
parties to address the key ecological, economic, institutional 
and social issues related to the options for action to save, 
study and use biodiversity sustainably and equitably.  It works 
closely with those involved with the further development and 
implementation of the Convention at the local and national level 
to complement the intergovernmental process with perspectives and 
proposals from independent sources.  Forum-like events were held 
under the aegis of the Global Biodiversity Strategy, the 
Convention, and the preparations of AGENDA 21. The first formal 
test of the Forum concept was hosted by the African Centre for 
Technology Studies (ACTS) in Nairobi in January 1993. The first 
meeting of the GBF was hosted by IUCN in October 1993, in Gland, 
Switzerland, and examined critical issues facing the further 
development of the Convention.  It was held immediately prior to 
the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee on the 
Convention on Biological Diversity.  The second meeting of the 
GBF was hosted by the Bahamas National Trust and held immediately 
prior to the first meeting of the COP to the Convention, in 
Nassau, in November 1994. 

GBF-Jakarta will focus on four themes: Marine Biodiversity; 
Regulation of Access to Genetic Resources; Decentralization of 
Governance and Biodiversity Conservation; and Forests and 
Biodiversity. 

CALL FOR PAPERS 

Interested parties from all sectors are invited to submit one- 
page, type-written abstracts of papers for presentation in any of 
the four themes at the Forum.  Abstracts must be received by IUCN 
by 10 September 1995.  Please use the form below.  A limited 
number of papers will be chosen for formal presentation at the 
Forum.  All participants are encouraged to bring short ideas and 
proposals for presentation and debate.  Every effort will be made 
by the hosts to reproduce and distribute them. The Forum in not 
an academic seminar, and at least 50 percent of its time will be 
devoted to open discussion among all participants. 

The selection of papers will be made by Workshop organizers and 
Forum convenors on the basis of relevance to the topic, quality, 
balance among sectors, and geographical balance.  Authors 
selected to present papers will be contacted by 15 September. 
The selected authors will then need to submit their completed 
papers to IUCN by 15 October, so that they may be reproduced for 
distribution at the Forum.  Papers not selected for formal 
presentation will still be reproduced for distribution at the 
Forum and will be considered for subsequent publication in the 
Forum proceedings. 

FORMAT AND AGENDA 

The Forum will consist of an opening and closing plenary, and 
four parallel workshops to address each of the four themes.  In 
addition, four lunch-time sessions are being scheduled during the 
COP to carry on the discussion on these issues. 

Marine Biodiversity:  At the COP1, governments agreed to take up 
marine biodiversity as the main ecosystem theme of COP2. 
Conservation of marine biodiversity raises questions 
significantly different from those in the terrestrial context. 
This workshop will provide a venue for all interested sectors to 
share information and strategies concerning the conservation and 
sustainable use of marine biodiversity and biological resources. 
Those submitting abstracts may wish to consider the following 
areas: unique problems of marine biodiversity conservation and 
proposed solutions; marine protected area management and policy; 
community-based coastal resources management; marine biodiversity 
prospecting; needs and mechanisms for regional and international 
cooperation; relationship of the Biodiversity Convention to other 
international marine treaties and programmes; funding priorities 
for marine biodiversity conservation; and priorities for special 
action by the COP and its Subsidiary Bodies on marine 
biodiversity. 

Organizers:  Biodiversity Action Network (BIONET), USA; Tambuyog 
Development Center, Philippines; WRI, Philippines/USA; and IUCN- 
US. 

Regulating Access to Genetic Resources:  The Biodiversity 
Convention establishes that genetic resources lie within the 
sovereign jurisdiction of individual nations.  Countries are now 
moving to establish legal regimes to regulate access to and 
utilization of their genetic resources, which due to the rapid 
development of biotechnologies, are becoming increasingly 
valuable as raw material in the development of drugs, crops, and 
industrial material and processes.  But few models for regulating 
access yet exist, capacities to enforce such regulatory regimes 
are weak and working mechanisms for ensuring the equitable 
sharing of benefits from genetic resources utilization -- both 
among and within nations -- are in their infancy.  Those 
submitting abstracts are encouraged to consider the following 
areas:  current national-level efforts to develop policies and 
laws regulating genetic resources access; case studies of ongoing 
"biodiversity prospecting" efforts and their legal and/or 
contractual basis; informed consent by and compensation for local 
communities within national access regulation frameworks; 
principles and mechanisms for benefit-sharing; the unique 
situation of indigenous peoples with respect to genetic resources 
exploitation in their territories; building capacity to regulate 
and benefit from genetic resources utilization; and the need for 
international mechanisms to harmonize and give effect to national 
access regulation regimes. 

Organizers:  African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), Kenya; 
WRI; IUCN Environmental Law Centre, Germany; Peruvian Society for 
Environmental Law; and the Institute of International Legal 
Studies, Philippines. 

Decentralization of Governance and Biodiversity Conservation: 
Many national governments are moving to decentralize a share of 
their powers to provincial, state, or lower levels of government, 
or even giving some of their traditional responsibilities to the 
private sector.  At the same time, the role of non-governmental 
actors and community-based institutions in carrying out many 
"governmental" functions is growing larger.  The Biodiversity 
Convention, however, pays little attention to the roles of local 
government and the institutions of local civil society in 
conserving biodiversity.  Individuals submitting abstracts for 
this workshop may wish to consider the following questions: What 
experience exists to date with decentralization of biodiversity 
management? What steps need to be taken to ensure that increasing 
decentralization of governance helps rather than hurts 
biodiversity conservation?  What are the key needs for capacity- 
building at the sub-national levels?  How can financing of 
biodiversity conservation flow directly to local level efforts 
and reflect local level priorities? 

Organizers: KEHATI, IUCN, and WWF-Indonesia Programme 

Forests and biodiversity:  Forests are a key repository for the 
earth's biodiversity, as well as important resources for both 
national and local economies.  Forest loss has been a topic of 
great concern, particulary in the species-rich tropical forests, 
for at least a decade or more.  There is general agreement that 
knowledge of the various factors affecting forests, and 
particularly the interactions among them, are as yet poorly 
understood.  Better and more relevant research is necessary to 
provide answers to the intricate problems of sustainable forest 
management.   Furthermore, there was no agreement at UNCED on a 
mechanism for promoting sustainability in the world's forests.  A 
protocol under the Convention on Biological Diversity has been 
one proposed mechanism, but can the Convention effectively 
address the myriad of socio-economic and biophysical factors 
affecting the sustainability of forests?  What specific steps 
should be taken within the context of the Biodiversity 
Convention?  What is the role of science in helping the develop a 
comprehensive mechanism to promote sustainable forest management? 

Organizers:  Centre for International Forest Research (CIFOR), 
Indonesia; WWF Forest Project, Switzerland; and others to be 
added. 

PARTICIPATION AND REGISTRATION FEES 

Please use the participation form provided below to notify the 
organizers of your intent to participate.  The deadline for 
receiving the participation form is 30 September 1995. 

Registration for the Forum will cost US$25 for all participants, 
to cover the costs of refreshments and photocopying. The fee will 
be collected at the registration desk.  A very limited number of 
waivers on the fee will be made available to those with the 
greatest financial need but only on the basis of a written 
application to Jeffrey McNeely prior to 20 October 1995. 


FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 

Financial assistance for airfare and per diem will be made 
available to developing country participants chosen to present 
formal papers or to otherwise contribute to the Forum pending the 
outcome of ongoing fundraising efforts.  All participants 
requiring financial assistance are urged to also seek travel 
support from the local offices of international donor 
organizations.  For government representatives from developing 
countries wishing to participate in the Forum, funding will be 
sought to provide the necessary additional per diem expenses. 


HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS 

The venue for the Global Biodiversity Forum is the Atlet Century 
Park Hotel (3 Star, Single = $98; Double = $108), which is near 
the Jakarta Convention Centre where the second meeting of the 
Conference of Parties will be held.  Please fill in the hotel 
section of the Participation Form if you require assistance with 
hotel arrangements. 


For further information regarding the Global Biodiversity Forum, 
please contact: 

Jeffrey McNeely, Chief Biodiversity Officer, Global Biodiversity Forum '95, 
IU 
CN-The 
World Conservation Union, 28 Rue Mauverney, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland.  Tel: 
+41.22.999-0001; Fax: +41.22.999-0025; email: jam at hq.iucn.ch 

                                GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FORUM '95 

                                  ABSTRACT SUBMISSION FORM 
                               (Please type or print clearly) 


PLEASE RETURN WITH ONE PAGE ABSTRACT BY 10 SEPTEMBER 1995 TO: 
Jeffrey McNeely, Global Biodiversity Forum '95, IUCN, 28 Rue Mauverney, 
CH-119 
6 
Gland, Switzerland.  Tel: +41.22.999-0001; Fax: +41.22.999-0025; E-mail: 
jam at h 
q.iucn.ch 


PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY 

Mr/Ms         ________________________________________________________ 
              Family name                 First name 

Organization  ________________________________________________________ 

Address       ________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

Tel    ______________________ 

Fax    ______________________ 

Email  ______________________ 


SUBMITTED TO (please check relevant workshop(s)): 

       Marine Biodiversity 
       Regulation of Access to Genetic Resources 
       Decentralization of Governance and Biodiversity Conservation 
       Forests and Biodiversity 








                                GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FORUM '95 

                                     PARTICIPATION FORM 


PLEASE RETURN BY 30 SEPTEMBER 1995 TO:  Russell Betts or Rita Oetomo, 
World Wide Fund for Nature/Indonesia Programme,  Jl. Kramat Pela No. 3, 
Gandar 
ia 
Utara, Jakarta Selatan 12140, Indonesia.  Tel: 
+6221.720-3095/724-5766/739-590 
7; Fax: 
+6221.739-5907; E-mail: 2518413 at mcimail.com 


PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY 

Mr/Ms         ________________________________________________________ 
              Family name                 First name 

Organization  ________________________________________________________ 

Address       ________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

Tel    ______________________ 

Fax    ______________________ 

Email  ______________________ 



HOTEL RESERVATION (Please mark as appropriate): 

SINGLE: _____ 
DOUBLE: _____ 

Price Range:  Below US$40_____     US$40 - 49 _____     US$50 - 59 _____ 
              US$60 - 69 _____     US$70 - 79 _____     US$80 - 89 _____ 
              Above US$90_____ 

If you already know the hotel at which you wish to be booked, kindly print 
the 
name 
here:_______________________________ 





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