The Island Journey in Nagoya

Pacific Voyage Media Team

17 October Nagoya, Japan - There is an “Island Journey” taking place at the 10^th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 10) in Nagoya, Japan.

Participants from Islands nations and countries that have islands were invited to attend the “Island Briefing”, a half day seminar providing guidance as to the important issues affecting them.

At the Island Briefing

Hosted by the Global Islands Partnership (GLISPA) in partnership with the CBD Secretariat, Global Invasive Species Programme, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Media Impact and SPREP, this was the first such briefing, hoping to unite all islands participants and help them start the CBD COP 10 well informed and prepared as to the agenda issues affecting island biodiversity.

“Conserving the natural resources of islands is crucial to maintaining sustainable livelihoods for the islands people,” said Ms. Kate Brown-Vitolio, the GLISPA Coordinator.

“We hope this Island briefing will help the participants in their negotiations at this meeting and give them the opportunity to meet each other and hopefully work together as a united front in common issues.”

Kate Brown-Vitolio giving the Pacific participants a CBD COP 10 101

Island species are unique in their vulnerability, of the 724 recorded animal extinctions in the last 400 years, about half were island species.  Recognising that islands have unique environments which support livelihoods, “Island Biodiversity” was identified as a new thematic area to be developed under the CBD in 2006, for which a programme of work was designed to help reduce the loss of island biodiversity by 2010. 

Bernard O’ Callaghan, Oceania Programme Coordinator of the International Union for Conservation of Nature reiterated the need for islands to work together at the CBD COP 10.

“The islands share common issues. It is very important for island states to support each other, because one small state cannot achieve anything,” Callaghan stated.

He stressed the importance of the island nations having one voice during the negotiations and working together to achieve issues that are common to island states.

GLISPA will be hosting several other activities during the CBD COP 10 including a side event focused on the Western Indian Ocean; a High level Cocktail which will celebrate achievements such as the Micronesia Challenge; as well as a Micronesia Regional Biosecurity event.

For more details on GLISPA please visit www.cbd.int/island/glispa.shtml