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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