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Global Biodiversity

EU a major actor on the world stage

The European Union is Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) of 1992, which seeks to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of the diversity of species, habitats and ecosystems on the planet. In 2000, the Parties to the CBD adopted the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety which seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms, taking into account human health. The EU has adopted a series of legislative measures in order to implement this Protocol.

The EU is also implementing a broad range of biodiversity-related international agreements such as CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).

The CBD stems from the Conference on Environment and Development, "the Earth Summit", which took place in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, where world leaders agreed on a comprehensive approach to achieve "sustainable development".

The CBD contains 42 Articles and seeks to reconcile the need to preserve all aspects of biological diversity with economic development.

Article 1 states the following objectives:

  • the conservation of biological diversity;
  • the sustainable use of its components; and
  • the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

2010 Target

In 2001, EU Heads of State and government agreed to "halt" the decline of biodiversity [in the EU] by 2010 (1). In 2002, the CBD adopted its strategic plan which aimed to "significantly reduce" the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. This target was endorsed by the world’s leaders at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) which took place later in 2002 in Johannesburg. WSSD also recognised the CBD as the key international body to promote the achievement of the 2010 target (2). In March 2010 the EU Ministers for the Environment had to acknowledge that both targets had not been met.

Biodiversity beyond 2010

At the 9th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity decided to adopt a revised and updated Strategic Plan including a revised biodiversity target at its 10th meeting in October 2010 in Nagoya/Japan. This new target will determine the ambition of global biodiversity policy for the next ten years.

The EU has adopted a new biodiversity target in March 2010 which is to halt the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020, and restoring them in so far as feasible, while stepping up the EU contribution to averting global biodiversity loss". This pledge is the EU's contribution to achieving the new global biodiversity target.

In its March 2010 Environment Council Conclusions the EU has outlined some of its expectations for the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

EU's commitment: Conservation and Sustainable Use

The EU is strongly committed to further strengthening the CBD as the key international instrument for achieving global biodiversity targets and to making sure that it is effectively implemented. The EC Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans and the Commission Biodiversity Communication outline how the CBD is implemented by the EU. For more information on the EU measures on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity refer to the EU nature and biodiversity website where an assessment of the implementation of the EU biodiversity action plan can be found.

Additional information on EU implementation of the different Articles of the CBD is also found in a specific brochurede es en fr (pdf ~700 kb).

Access and Benefit-Sharing

One of the key objectives of the CBD is the sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way. Benefit sharing is inextricably linked to appropriate access to genetic resources, the transfer of relevant technologies, information exchange, and scientific co-operation.

The 193 Parties to the CBD are negotiating since 2004 on an "international regime on access and benefit-sharing". The purpose of this so called "ABS negotiation" is to clarify and give more precision to the rights and obligations of a state regarding the conditions for access to those genetic resources over which a state holds sovereign rights as well as on the measures taken by a state to ensure that users of genetic resources under its jurisdiction comply with the conditions under which genetic resources have been accessed. The ABS negotiations also address the eventual use of traditional knowledge of indigenous and local communities that may provide important lead information about interesting properties of genetic resources. Obligations of states in relation to traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources are also subject to negotiations in the World Intellectual Property Organization. The EU supports that the international ABS regime should establish a transparent regulatory framework through a Protocol to the CBD with binding and non-binding provisions. The EU is working towards a Protocol that establishes clear obligations of each state vis a vis users of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge under its jurisdiction but that also includes international standards on national access law and practice that are linked to "user country" measures.

The EU is fully committed to finalising the ABS negotiations and to allow for adoption of the ABS Protocol by the tenth conference of the Parties to the CBD in October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan.

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

On 29 January 2000, the Conference of the Parties to the CBD adopted a supplementary agreement to the Convention, known as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living organisms modified by modern biotechnology. It establishes an advance informed agreement (AIA) procedure for ensuring that countries are provided with the information required to make informed decisions before agreeing to the import of such organisms and to their introduction in the environment in their territory .

The Cartagena Protocol promotes a precautionary approach and reaffirms the precautionary language contained in Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development but it also elaborates further the precautionary principle by making it operational in the field of GMOs. The Protocol also establishes a Biosafety Clearing-House to facilitate the exchange of information on living modified organisms whatever their use and to assist countries in the implementation of the Protocol. The EU has adopted a comprehensive legal framework which effectively implements the Cartagena Protocol. Further information on the EU Regulatory Framework for GMOs or Biotechnology can be found here.

The 157 Parties to the Cartagena Protocol are currently finalising negotiations on a supplementary Protocol on liability and redress for damage to biodiversity resulting from transboundary movements of living modified organisms. The EU expects that this supplementary Protocol will be adopted by the fifth Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol in October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan.

Other agreements

The European Community and its Member States are also Parties to and/or actively implement a number of biodiversity-related international conventions that aim at protecting certain species, regions or ecosystems. For example, as one of the principal markets for trade in endangered species, the EU has been playing a very pro-active role within the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) by strictly regulating trade in species that are most at risk and ensuring that trade only takes place when it is sustainable. Furthermore, the EU is a Party to the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and to the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats which are implemented by, among other instruments, the EU Habitats and Birds Directives (see further on the above mentioned EU nature and biodiversity website)

Progress has also been made in creating synergies between the CBD and other biodiversity-related agreements. For example, the 2010 target has become a central objective of the CITES and has been recognised by the Bonn and Bern Conventions.

Further information

1) Presidency Conclusions. Göteborg European Council. 15 and 16 June 2001.

2) Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. p26.

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