Japan opens COP10 high level segment with $2 billion pledge

The Pacific Voyage Media Team, 27 October Nagoya Japan -

The high-level ministerial segment of the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) opened this morning with a multi-billion-dollar announcement by the host.

Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, announced that Japan would provide US$2 billion to assist partner countries to meet post 2010 targets of the CBD.

The money will be provided over three years beginning in 2010, Mr. Kan told the meeting at the Century Hall of the Nagoya Congress Centre.

The Prime Minister said the loss of biodiversity was in a manner unprecedented in speed and scale.

“Unfortunately, this ongoing mass extinction is being caused mainly by the activities of us human beings,” he said.  “If this destruction continues at its current pace, the abundant gift of nature that human beings have been enjoying will be lost forever.”

This means the existence of people could be threatened, the meeting heard.

“Our generation must resist the ongoing extinction and bequeath to future generations our rich and abundant earth – the most precious planet in the entire universe.”

COP 10 which ends Friday aims to develop a new strategy to halt the decline of biodiversity.

For nearly two weeks, hundreds of negotiators have been trying to reach an agreement on some 20 dossiers, the most important ones being Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and financing for the new Strategic Plan.

The high-level segment attended by ministers and heads of states will attempt to iron out the complications on issues where no agreement has been reached.

A number of Ministers from the Pacific islands are in attendance.

Among them is the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment from Samoa, Faumuina Tiatia Liuga, who is scheduled to make a statement this afternoon.

Mr. Kan said it is essential for Parties to agree to upon post 2010 targets.

“To reach an agreement on a global common goal, I ask for the cooperation of everyone of you,” he said.  “We also need to aim to adopt a protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing of genetic resources.”

Mr Kan concluded: “Let us act together to pass an energetic earth on to the future generations.”

Polynesia, Melanesia challenged

The Pacific Voyage Media Team, 27 October, Nagoya Japan -

 L - R Kate Brown, Willy Kostka, Robert Weary, Jason Spensely

“There is nothing to stop Polynesia or Melanesia doing exactly the same thing working together with Micronesia on a similar type of initiative. It’s really going to come from within the countries themselves” - Kate Brown Coordinator Global Island Partnership

The Micronesian Challenge is a shining example of a growing movement around the world to protect marine resources, vital to everyday life.  And Micronesia’s friends in the South Pacific, Polynesians and Melanesians, have been invited to join.

Speaking during a press conference at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 10) in Nagoya, Japan, Willy Kostka, of the Micronesia Conservation Trust, said there has been some interest from Polynesia, especially Samoa.

“We have provided information about the Micronesian Challenge to our colleagues in the South,” he said.

“I think there is interest in Samoa and American Samoa to do what’s called the two Samoa initiative and one of the things we’re going to be doing as part of our work with the Pacific islands management protected community is to increase that interest by providing more information.”

Mr Kostka said the is a grant available which will allow for the exchange of information between the two Samoas and the Micronesia region so they can start the two Samoa initiative.

At the press conference, achievements for the Micronesian and Caribbean Challenges were highlighted. They include:
• Recognition of the Caribbean Challenge’s Caribbean Biodiversity Fund, a US$40 million regional endowment created as part of the 8 country Caribbean Challenge;
• The leadership, financing and partnerships for implementation which have seen significant progress since 2006 in the Micronesia Challenge, a five country protected areas and livelihoods commitment.
• Efforts towards a Western Indian Ocean Partnership at COP 10 involving the East Coast of African and the islands of the Western Indian Ocean.

Mr Kostka said the Micronesian Challenge was inspired by Fiji’s declaration that 25 per cent of their marine resources would come under effective management. 

“But because Fiji was just one nation, maybe they didn’t get as much exposure,” he said. “Perhaps if they had collaborated with nations of the South Pacific in Polynesia and Melanesia, they could get more profile for their initiatives there.”

Kate Brown, Coordinator of the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA), said the Micronesian and Caribbean challenges have political leadership and momentum behind them. This has come about because “political leaders have really realised that this is really important particularly in terms of livelihoods in their countries.

“So it’s much, much bigger than programmes or projects that currently happen between countries.  There is nothing to stop Polynesia or Melanesia doing exactly the same thing working together with Micronesia on a similar type of initiative. It’s really going to come from within the countries themselves.”

Rob Weary, of the Nature Conservancy, Caribbean Programme, agrees.
 “The countries have stepped forward and identified what their financial needs are to meet these goals that they have set for themselves,” he said.  “They have gone beyond what the initial CBD goal was of 10 percent realising their livelihoods depend on it.”

Jason Spensley, Life Web programme officer, applauded the initiatives.
“One of the most exciting things about these challenges is the fact these aren’t just relatively isolated challenges in corners of the world but this really is increasingly becoming a movement,” he said.

“There is a challenge in the Indian Ocean, Western Africa is talking about a challenge, so this is a movement we truly see as catalyzing the implementation of the convention in general and I think it is truly and inspirational prospect for the convention.”

The Micronesia Challenge is a commitment by the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands to preserve the natural resources that are crucial to the survival of Pacific traditions, cultures and livelihoods.

The overall goal of the Challenge is to effectively conserve at least 30 per cent of the near-shore marine resources and 20 per cent of the terrestrial resources across Micronesia by 2020.  The challenge exceeds goals which call for countries to conserve 10 per cent of terrestrial and marine resources.

The Micronesian Challenge was celebrated during an Island Fiesta at the Asahi Tent Expo Area last night, at the Nagoya Congress Centre. The event was attended by Pacific leaders at COP 10.

Looking after the environment, our home

As published by the Samoa Observer by Mata'afa Keni Lesa, Editor Samoa Observer, a member of The Pacific Voyage Media Team, in Nagoya Japan at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity

This is a big week for biodiversity and nature conservation.
It’s a week where a series of meetings and negotiations about how the environment and the need to care for it are being held in Nagoya, Japan.
Experts in environment issues and science are joined by people with expertise in different areas – money and otherwise - to work out strategies geared at reducing the damage done by man’s negligence to the environment.  
Our negligence has been known for many years so that in 2002 in Johannesburg, some 110 world leaders agreed to a number of targets to reduce the loss of biodiversity.
They then gave themselves until 2010 to see if they succeeded.
Progress, however, has been slow.
As a matter of fact, it’s been a miserable failure, if a report titled Global Biodiversity Outlook 3 is anything to judge by. The report assesses the state of biodiversity and the implications of its continued loss. Based on scientific assessments, national reports submitted by governments and a study on future scenarios for biodiversity, the report laments that the world has failed to meet the targets. It warns about further losses resulting in severe reduction of essential services to human societies. It also identified what are now commonly referred to as "tipping points." The tipping points analysed by the report includes:
• The dieback of large areas of the Amazon forest, due to the interactions of climate change, deforestation and fires, with consequences for the global climate, regional rainfall and widespread species extinctions.
• The shift of many freshwater lakes and other inland water bodies to eutrophic or algae-dominated states, caused by the buildup of nutrients and leading to widespread fish kills and loss of recreational amenities.
• Multiple collapses of coral reef ecosystems, due to a combination of ocean acidification, warmer water leading to bleaching, overfishing and nutrient pollution; and threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of species directly dependent on coral reef resources.
The report, however, argues what’s happened today is “avoidable if effective and coordinated action is taken to reduce the multiple pressures being imposed on biodiversity.”
So this is why the meeting in Nagoya is important. World leaders – including Samoa and the Pacific islands – are here to talk about a new approach. They are discussing a new Strategy Plan for the next decade with a vision on 2050.
The challenges are not new. Money is among the sensitive issues.
The level of ambition for financial resources and capacity building are among the most difficult issues, David Cooper, the Secretary of COP 10 in Nagoya, told us during the weekend.
“The developing countries are saying that if we have ambitious targets for reducing biodiversity loss in various ways, then we also need ambitious targets for funding and there isn’t yet a clear agreement on that,” he said. And so it goes.
Organisers of COP 10 are hoping that by the end of the week, the plan will be adopted and new targets will be set. There are other matters, for example, organisers are hoping the Aichi-Nagoya protocol on access and benefit-sharing (ABS) will be adopted at the end of the week.
Anything could happen.
But what do these conventions, protocols, frameworks and whatever tongue-twisting terms mean for the average person in the village? Is what’s being discussed in Nagoya relevant to them? Are they being considered in the discussions?
Of course they are. What’s decided in Nagoya will directly affect the average villager in Falealupo and Asau. It will determine how the forest at Vaisala is kept. It will influence and most likely shape plans by our government which involves you. Most importantly, such discussions attract the millions we need to implement efforts to reverse the damage.
The point is low-lying island countries scattered around the Pacific are at the mercy of changes to the environment and the climate.
Environment issues of most concern to Samoa include the loss of forests, damage to water catchment areas, marine life and sea creatures. 
Our Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) has already started working on a number of these issues. With the National Environment week coming up, MNRE is expected to make some exciting announcements about some of its plans; central among them will be waste.
And that’s something to cheer up about. Because if there’s anything this country doesn’t need but it has an abundance of, it’s waste. We’re confronted by it everywhere we go, and yet we don’t seem to be bothered very much by it.
Indeed, we hope the national Environment Week will open our eyes to the perils arising from maintaining a negligent attitude towards the environment, and the need to care for it at all times.
For years, we have taken our environment for granted. We have recklessly exploited it without caring about the consequences.
Today, we are confronted by the result of our actions. And they are not pretty. Our world is in grave danger both by our reckless attitude towards our environment and changes to the climate.
The most serious of which is the rising sea level and water shortages caused because our rain forests in water catchment areas are felled for lumber, or to make way for new homes.
As this column has said before, education is naturally the key to saving the environment. Everyone should be educated about the consequences if we don’t look after our biodiversity, our home. It’s up to us to make the change. God bless!

Money matters at Nagoya Biodiversity talks

The Pacific Voyage Media Team, 27 October Nagoya Japan -

A lengthy discussion  is guaranteed whenever and wherever dollars are involved.  That perhaps explains why there are difficulties in negotiating a protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) under the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), a leading delegate from the Pacific said.

An ABS protocol will facilitate the sharing of benefits between providers and users.

But the CEO of Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Taule’ale’ausumai La’avasa Malua said it’s a complicated issue because trade is involved.

“Even though there has not been an instrument under the CBD, there are other regimes which control trade,” he said.

“Once you move into the area of ABS, you are really talking about trade and it doesn’t just affect biodiversity, there are other issues.”

Pathogens add further complications.

“You need them to manufacture chemicals. So you are bringing in the health aspect which involves the World Health Organisation (WHO). That’s another big issue.”

If an ABS protocol is negotiated, it will be beneficial for all Pacific countries. In Samoa for example, a case in point is the mamala tree, said Taule’ale’a.

Several years ago, Samoa claimed sole rights to the mamala, a gene believed to fight AIDS and cancer which grows in trees found there. The claim was made under the 1992 international Convention on Biodiversity (CBD).

A 50-50 revenue-sharing deal was signed with the University of California, Berkeley. This is the university developing the potentially lucrative drug.

At the time the agreement was signed, then Minister of Trade and Commerce, Hans Joachim Keil told AFP: "What we are doing now is getting the rights so that when they need to proceed (with the drug) they will have to get it from Samoa.

"We have the rights to the research, and we -- only in Samoa -- can produce or harvest the mamala tree, so that they have to deal with us and the people in Samoa.”

Valerie Normand, an ABS Programme Officer for the Secretariat of the CBD, said it is cases such as the mamala which highlight the need for an ABS Protocol.

“Traditional knowledge has been held by indigenous communities for centuries and often this traditional knowledge provides important links to identifying which resources actually have particular properties which can be useful to human well being,” she said.

A Protocol on ABS will facilitate the sharing of benefits between providers and users.

“In exchange for access to genetic resources, users of these resources are meant to share the benefits arising from their use. And this is set out in the Convention for Biological Diversity.  Access to the genetic resources is subject to the prior informed consent of the provider country.

“A user must first seek consent of a country a resource is found in. A user can’t just go into a country, pick a plant and carry out research. They first have to obtain the approval of that country and they also need to negotiate mutually agreed terms and that agreement will include a number of requirements and conditions for access, and also most importantly the terms of benefit sharing.”

Benefits could be both monetary and non-monetary, she said.

Taule’ale’a said an ABS Protocol will also ensure a genetic resource is conserved.

“If a biodiversity plant or micro organism is used, there must be a benefit for the country where the plant comes from,” he said.

“But there are multiple agencies and requirements that cross paths on this issue. For example, there is the WTO (World Trade Organisation) with things like copyright and intellectual property rights.

“It’s a big issue within WTO. There is also the Court for things like that.

“But from a biodiversity perspective, it’s more or less similar except it has a business perspective.

“This is why there is so much fuss because the countries know that if an ABS Protocol is agreed upon, this is where the trade will be controlled from. Trade is money.”

Taule’ale’a added: “The countries will fight among each other to see who gets the benefits because it has to be fair and equitable. So companies will become involved and big countries will be involved. They will all want to have the majority of the say because they have bigger economies and better technology.”

For small countries like Samoa, an ABS Protocol will be most beneficial.

“There might be some traditional formulas from our taulasea (traditional healers) where we can make some money from. What’s most important is that there are some guidelines under which it can be controlled.”

The ABS negotiations are continuing. A decision is expected over the next few days, before the end of COP 10 in Nagoya.

Talking the Biodiversity Talk
Pathogen: To illustrate how the term is commonly used, see definition online at MedicineNet.com:
“An agent of disease. A disease producer. The term pathogen most commonly is used to refer to infectious organisms.  These include bacteria (such as staph), viruses (such as HIV), and fungi (such as yeast). Less commonly, pathogen refers to a noninfectious agent of disease such as a chemical.  The term pathogen was devised about 1880 and was compounded from patho- meaning disease + -gen indicating a producer. Hence, a disease producer.”

Samoa leads the way

L - R: MNRE CEO Taule’ale’ausumai La’avasa Malua, ACEO Faleafaga Tony Tipama’a, Easter Galuvao of SPREP, Dr Posa Skelton of SPREP and Editor of Samoa Observer, Mata’afa Keni Lesa.

“We don’t just sit around and wait for the world to make up its mind. We are trying our best to find help. If for some reason we cannot find help, we have to look to ourselves to help ourselves” – Taule’ale’ausumai La’avasa Malua

The Pacific Voyage Media Team, 27 October Nagoya Japan

Samoa is not waiting for the world to make up its mind over whether to protect the environment in the next ten, twenty or however many years.

That’s what the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), Faumuina Tiatia Liuga will tell the world when he addresses the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 10) to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) in Nagoya, Japan.

“Even though judging from the reports that the world has failed to meet the biodiversity targets, individual country progress varies,” Taule’ale’ausumai La’avasa Malua told the Pacific Voyage Media Team at the Nagoya Congress Centre.

“For us, we have started a programme to plan a million trees. Everyone is planting trees; even little kids are planting trees.”

Taule’ale’a is the Chief Executive Officer of MNRE. He is accompanying the Minister at the high level discussions involving hundreds of world leaders. Faleafaga Tony Tipama’a, an ACEO at MNRE, is the third member of the Samoan delegation.

Taule’ale’a said efforts to conserve the environment are being spearheaded by Samoa’s leaders.

“Even the Minister has planted 600 trees and I’ve also planted some trees,” said the CEO. “Students from one school, Vaiala Beach School, planted 360 trees at the national park. So everyone has been encouraged to play their part.”

The challenge for Samoa is land mass.

“So if legislation could open the opportunity for people to plant everywhere, that will be vital,” said Taule’ale’a. “Planting trees is important because it doesn’t only assist with mitigation of climate change, from the biodiversity perspective, it’s important we plant native trees and trees that are not invasive.

“So the Minister’s message is that we are not sitting there waiting for funds. We know there is a problem and we are moving to do something about it.

“That’s how our people work, that’s what we do. We don’t just sit around and wait for the world to make up its mind. We are trying our best to find help and if for some reason we cannot find help, we have to look to ourselves to help ourselves.

“We have to go back to the way we were before where we planted in the forest and work our land with our hands.”

Samoa believes it is important to promote and what’s been achieved so far.

“If you take protected areas for instance, we have a number of protected areas in the country, we have national parks,” said Taule’ale’a. “We have also worked to protect our coastal and marine environment. Fish is very important to us and they are under these protected areas and we have to ensure our protected area laws are firm to make sure they are fully protected.

“There are some cases where there are protected areas but you have to look at the administration to ensure there is enough money, know-how and human capacity for implementation.”

Money and the link to climate change are key factors in negotiations, said the CEO.

“Up until now, even though they are saying there is money for this and that programme, there doesn’t seem to be a lot.

“The only sure funding at this stage is from the Global Environment Facility which we have approached and are using for a number of our programmes. But there is not a lot of money, the most is probably about $5milion or $10million when these programmes should cost far beyond $10m, perhaps $50m or $1billion for one country.”

Samoa and other Pacific countries, however, should continue to persevere.

“Judging from the behaviour of the big countries, it seems they are not willing to increase funding. The European Union (EU) for example has said that they will not add anything further.

“EU’s focus in Samoa is on energy and water. Biodiversity in Samoa is mainly addressed through bilateral agreements with big countries such as with Japan where we have projects such as national parks and protected areas. We are also working with organisations such as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for conservation areas, marine conservation and wetlands.”

One of the biggest challenges for biodiversity in Samoa is invasive species.

“An easy example is the myna bird,” said Taule’ale’a. “There are also the merrenia peltata grass (fue lautele) in the forest and the African snail.

“There are foreign species that have been introduced such as many different types of exotic flowers and different plants.

“We have to be careful that we do not allow species we introduce to solve existing problems to become problems in the future.

“An example of this is the myna bird, look at what’s happening now. We have to be very careful.”

Plans to develop energy sources must be made with conserving nature in mind, warned the CEO.

“There are plants that can be used for biomass classifications but we have to look at their invasiveness and how they can be controlled,” he said. 

“We have to look at how we can control these plants and that’s vital. We have to strike a balance. There were species that weren’t available before because the climate conditions weren’t favourable for their growth but now the weather has changed, some plant species are finding it more favourable than others.”

The issue of animals is an interesting one, the Samoan delegation noted.

“We have to tread carefully because what’s regarded by other countries as invasive are not necessarily invasive to us,” said Taule’ale’a. “For example, pigs are considered by other countries as invasive yet they are a key part of our diet so we have our own culling method. Besides the pigs do not go hungry in our country because we have a lot of coconuts to feed them.”

Biodiversity conservation can also be good for tourism, if its done right, said the CEO.

“We value our tourism for what it means to our economy,” said Taule’ale’a.  “There are many tourists who want to listen to birds, look at native plants and so forth, so it’s another tool to attract tourists to Samoa.”

Asked what he would tell Samoans about biodiversity, Taule’ale’a responded: “I want to stress that our environment is very important. Trees provide us with fresh air and it’s a sanctuary for our birdlife.

“Our environment deserves to be respected.  Our ancestors enjoyed a pristine environment, our present generation – eventhough with a lot of challenges – still enjoy the environment and our future generations deserve to enjoy the same environment.

“Our children should be able to enjoy the same environment our ancestors gave us. That’s why we should all work very hard to protect and conserve it.”

Pacific island youth urged to act now for biodiversity

“Pacific Island youths should have a vision to stand up and act on issues that affect island biodiversity.”

The comment was made by 22 year old Tongan voyager, Taviti Fisi’italia.

Tongan voyager, Taviti Fisi’italia

Mr Fisi’italia is among a strong international youth forum, Go 4 BioDiv, keen to have their voices heard at the 10^th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya.

At a side event marked by quizzes, fun games and presentations on their natural heritage, this group of young people from all over the world stated strongly that each unique biodiversity is interconnected.  They stated that we belong in a global community and that its time we start taking care of our natural heritage together.

 For Mr Fisi’italia, the issue of climate change destroying their island biodiversity is very important and real.

He said Tonga’s historical lapita pottery sites situated on every coastline in every island that make up Tonga may not exist anymore because of rising sea levels.

“This site not has archaeological value, it is also valuable biodiversity to the island communities,” he said adding that Pacific Islanders should have a vision to stand up and act, not to wait for others to tell us what to do.

Mr Fisi’italia is an environment coordinator for the Tongan Youth Congress for the outer islands.  Some of the environmental campaigns that he has been coordinating; are once every month they pick rubbishes along Tonga’s mainland coastlines and replant trees and mangroves to protect villages from threats caused by the sea.  He is also an active member of the 350.org.

The Youth Forum Go4BioDiv, which takes place parallel to CBD COP10, is aimed at raising awareness about the inter-dependence of biological and cultural diversity and inter-generational responsibilities for the conservation of our global treasures.  It offers young participants the opportunity to reflect on their experiences and exchange views on natural World Heritage sites as the emblematic and visible flag-ship of nature conservation and the effects climate change has on these sites.

Issue of high seas for Marshall Islands and Nauru

The Pacific Voyage Media Team 26 October 2010

The Marshall Islands asks for developing nations to respect closure of high seas

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is seeking the support of developing nations to respect the closure of the high seas of countries comprising the Parties of to the Nauru Agreement to purse seine fishing.

The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) includes Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

These countries are the owners of 25% of the world’s tuna supply.

Joseph Tibon, Technical Policy Officer of the Marshall Islands says that during the negotiations here at the Convention of Biological Diversity, it is encouraging developing nations to support the scheme.

“We are showcasing PNA countries approach for developing nations to support,” Tibon stresses.

The high seas including the Marshall Islands will be closed to purse seine fishing vessels licensed to fish in their waters.

The closed high seas area stretches from Palau and Papua New Guinea in the West to Kiribati in the East, Marshall Islands in the North to Tuvalu in the South.

The high seas closure covers an area of 4,555,000 sq km.

The PNA also has 100% observer coverage of purse seine vessels to monitor compliance of the high seas area closure.

The high seas closure might be an issue for developing nations because it could overlap with international seas.

Tibon states that Marshall Islands coastal and marine biodiversity are very important because it is the nations’ source of food and livelihood.

With this in mind, RMI also wants new agreements to the access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of utilization and the protection of marine stocks.

L - R Tyrone Deiye (Nauru) and Joseph Tibon (Marshall Islands)

Nauru protects biodiversity

Nauru shares similar issues with the rest of the Pacific Island nations which it wants to address during the remaining days of the Convention of Biological Diversity.

Two issues are vital to Nauru  says Tyrone Deiye, the Environment Policy Officer of the Department of Commerce Industry and Environment, the access to  genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of their utilization and the protection of marine stocks.

“Small islands have only few resources and we want to protect it,” Deiye cites.

As a party to the Convention, Nauru says that most of the developed countries come to the small island states and access their resources.  Take for example, the fish stocks in the Pacific Ocean that is in danger of depletion if bigger countries make their way to the region’s waters.

Nauru is one of the countries which comprisesthe Parties to the Nauru Agreement.  The rest of the countries are  Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands,  Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

The PNA aims to improve the region's tuna fisheries through sustainable management and innovation.

“The Pacific Ocean is now the hunting environment,” he says.

Nauru is also concerned about the access and benefit sharing of natural biodiversity.

The access benefit sharing regime will allow the sharing of  benefits derived from their use.  Genetic resources whether from plant, animal or micro-organisms may be used for different purposes (e.g. basic research, commercialisation of products). Users of genetic resources may include research institutes, universities and private companies operating in various sectors such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, horticulture and biotechnology.

Benefits derived from genetic resources may include the result of research and development carried out on genetic resources, the transfer of technologies which make use of those resources, participation in biotechnological research activities, or monetary benefits arising from the commercialisation of products based on genetic resources. One example of monetary benefits could be the sharing of royalties arising from patented products based on genetic resources.

The Conference of the Parties established the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing (a subsidiary body of the Conference of the Parties) with the mandate to develop guidelines and other approaches to assist Parties with the implementation of the access and benefit-sharing provisions of the Convention.

Nauru like the rest of the PNA countries wants the depletion of its marine stocks, especially the tuna stocks by agreeing in to closing of pockets in high seas from commercial fishing.  He says that the developing nations, fish stocks are already running out which makes them come to the smaller nations for resources.

Nauru is in unity will the PNA countries in encouraging developing nations to support the closure of the high seas to purse seine fishing.

SPREP and CBD meet

The Pacific Voyage Media Team, 26 October Nagoya Japan -

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has agreed to work closely at the national and regional level on issues related to biodiversity and climate change.

Following a meeting with CBD Executive Secretary, Dr Ahmed Djoghlaf, Director of SPREP, David Sheppard said they discussed the existing Memorandum of Understanding and agreed to continue expanding cooperation in the future.

Mr.  Sheppard elaborated that one of the key issues discussed was the importance of strengthening of carrying outi the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

Dr Djoghlaf highlighted the planned Global Programme of Capacity Development Workshops whichwill be organized through 2011-12 to assist countries with updating their NBSAPs in line with the new strategic plan.

This will be a key component of a broader programme with the overarching aim to support implementation of the Convention.  In particular it will advance the new strategic plan and other relevant decisions from COP10 by supporting national implementation through global and regional programmes of capacity development and knowledge management.  The Partnership approach will be a main factor. 

Dr Djoghlaf, in a statement presented to Mr. Sheppard stated that, “In line with the new Strategic Plan and the consolidated guidance for the development, updating and implementation of NBSAPs the workshops will assist countries to translate the Post 2010 strategic plan into national targets and commitments, and integrating these into updated NBSAPs.  This second generation of NBSAPs must be effective tools for mainstreaming biodiversity into broader national policies, strategies and planning processed.”

Under the fifth allocation of funds of the Global Environment Facility (GEF-5) (2010-2014), it is expected that US500 000 will be allocated to each GEF-eligible country for biodiversity planning. The workshops, held throughout 2011 will help guide and orientate countries, in line with COP guidance, so that they can make early and effective use of these funds, thereby ensuring an early start to the process of implementing the new Strategic Plan.

We have the plan, but give us the dollars

The Pacific Voyage Media Team 26 October Nagoya Japan -

L - R Joe Aitaro (Palau) with Dr. Spencer Thomas of SIDS

Pacific island countries remain adamant a new Strategic Plan to protect the environment will be adopted on Friday at the end of the 10th Meeting of Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), in Nagoya.

Joe Aitaro, of Palau and one of the key negotiators for the Pacific, said progress was slow especially in the area of funding.

 “We’re here, we’re all very passionate and we still have hope that we’re going to reach an agreement on Friday,” he said.

“If not, word is that the Chairman will start an inter-government working group to work on those minor details and then present it back [to the parties].

“So there is still hope for us. But it will be a nice message when we go back to the world, especially in the year of Biodiversity that we came up with an agreement in Nagoya.”

Such an agreement will be crucial “to determine the future of life on earth.”

Mr Aitaro said funding is among the sensitive issues.

“The developing partners are saying they’re not quite sure as how, what type of capacity we need and how it’s being funded,” he said.

“So they’re coming up with a lot of ‘add-ons’ like we should have a plan for a plan to implement the plan.

“We’re saying, we already have a plan, just give us the funds and we’ll implement the plan. At the end of the day, it’s the will of the people with the dollars. If they want to make sure we achieve the concept and the goals of this convention, they should actually start funding these activities.”

Small island countries have been at the end of the line, Mr Aitaro said.

“We have been making a lot of impact on island biodiversity especially conservation management so it’s time they need to shift their paradigm thinking and look at successful countries in the Pacific.”       

Biodiversity progress in the Pacific has been slow. But Mr Aitaro said a lot of the progress depends on funding.

“For the Pacific, when it comes to the targets for protected areas in the marine, we want to see more ambitious targets set by our partners,” he said. “Globally it’s like only 1.7percent of the marine is conserved, yet we in the Pacific, when we look at it as a group in the Oceania, we have the most in terms of percentage that’s already in the MPA (Marine Protected Areas).

That’s a testament that we’re doing more with less and yet countries with the technology and resources cannot seem to mobilise [their resources] in the marine area.”

The discussions about access and benefit sharing are extremely important to the Pacific, said Mr Aitaro. 

“It’s time where countries need to make some sacrifices and compromise,” he said. “How long can this thing continue to drag? It’s been two years now, we’ve got to put a stop to it. It comes down to compliance and for the Pacific it’s our sovereign right, the ownership of these genetic resources.”

Mr Aitaro said Pacific delegates are happy with the progress on marine coastal issues.

“We’ve got good representation in there so it’s moving along but at a slow pace,” he said.
“The Pacific’s voice is being heard in these contact groups and it’s a good indication for me that we are well represented in our areas.”

Gaining financial support, however, is a priority.

In all the quarters, everyone is looking for somewhere to either get support from these private organisations or funding agencies to try and advance what’s happening,” he said.

“All indications coming in right now is that they are going to continue the level of funding for the CBD which to us is kind of ironic because now we’re talking about ABS and no funding.

“For us, there is a lot issues that depend on other countries and their interest.

“We want activities; we want the secretariat to fund activities on the ground that we have already started. We just need a little help to reach the visions of our countries.” 

Navigating the Pacific Voyage at Nagoya biodiversity talks

The Pacific Voyage Media Team 26 October 2010 Nagoya Japan -

L - R Dr. Posa Skelton, Faleaga Toni Tipama'a, Easter Galuvao, Bernadette Carreon

Easter Galuvao is SPREP’s Biodiversity Advisor and one of the navigators of the Pacific Voyage at the CBD COP 10. Having only commenced her new position at SPREP in April this year, she has jumped in at the deep end with the task of coordinating the Pacific island “voyage” to the 10^th international conference of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Preparations for the Conference have involved hosting a regional preparatory meeting (known as the Pre-COP), dissemination of key information, coordinating support from  – regional organisations, NGOs and key partners and developing a briefing paper for Pacific island countries to help identify key issues for the region.

“This regional approach has enabled us to amplify the Pacific voice at the COP – presenting statements on behalf of the Pacific Island parties getting our messages across,” said Ms Galuvao.

This is important for small island nations striving to be heard at a 15,000 person-strong international event.

The Pacific countries have been working hard to make sure that their position on issues such as access and benefit sharing (ABS), invasive species, biodiversity and climate change, the strategic action plan and financing are well articulated at the global negotiations.

Ms Galuvao says that even though she was well-versed on the CBD, getting to fully understand the current issues for the negotiations has been a somewhat daunting experience.

“This is the first time I have attended a Conference of Parties as a SPREP representative and the first thing you need to learn is to understand the roles of IGOs in the process and how to effectively provide support to the Pacific Island Parties,” she says. “There are formal working group meetings, contact group meetings and, of course the plenary sessions – you have to get your head around all these fit together first before you can do anything else”.

“Then, of course, you have the history,” she adds. “The draft working papers often refer to some decision made two or even three meetings ago. Those who have been attending the various meetings sometimes take it for granted that everyone else has this background.”

In actual fact, having to learn the process first hand and in a short space has possibly been an unexpected advantage for SPREP’s new Biodiversity Adviser and for many of the new Pacific delegates.

“Because I have had to learn myself, I have probably been more empathetic of our delegates’ needs,” she explains.

Certainly, Ms Galuvao’s input to the preparations is not over. As the second week of the negotiations unfolds, she continues to provide her assistance where needed, and is now in the process of facilitating a high level event with Pacific Environment Ministers during the week. As one of the navigators of the Pacific Voyage, Ms. Galuvao looks forward to as smooth a sail as possible on their Pacific Voyage to Nagoya and back to the Pacific.

“The work doesn’t stop here; we now have to look at actions to implement the outcomes of the Nagoya conference,” she said.