Gangwon Declaration on Biodiversity for Sustainable Development (2014)

2017-06-14 Sunney ORCP 0

Under the theme, "Biodiversity for Sustainable Development," thousands of representatives of governments, NGOs, indigenous peoples, scientists and the private sector gathered in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea in October 2014 for the 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 12). From 6–17 October 2014, Parties discussed the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets, which are to be achieved by the end of this decade. The results of Global Biodiversity Outlook 4, the flagship assessment report of the CBD informed the discussions. The conference gave a mid-term evaluation to the UN Decade on Biodiversity (2011-2020) initiative, which aims to promote the conservation and sustainable use of nature. At the end of the meeting, the meeting adopted the "Pyeongchang Road Map," which addresses ways to achieve biodiversity through technology cooperation, funding and strengthening the capacity of developing countries. (Participants in the High Level Segment of the COP12 pose for a photo during the opening ceremony on October 15)

Preface: The Gangwon Declaration on Biodiversity for Sustainable Development (2014) was adopted by the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, Republic of Korea, 16 Oct., 2014.

The 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) convened concurrently with the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing (COP/MOP 1) from 6-17 October 2014, in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea.

Minister of the Environment Yoon Seong Kyu speaks during the High Level Segment of the COP12 on October 15. (Photos: Ministry of Environment)
Prime Minister Chung Hongwon delivers the keynote speech during the High Level Segment of the COP12 on October 15. (Photos: Ministry of Environment)

MiDuring this COP, around 3,000 delegates gathered and agreed to the Pyeongchang Roadmap, containing five decisions on:

(i) mid-term review of progress towards the goals of the Strategic Plan; and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets;

(ii) biodiversity and sustainable development;

(iii) review of progress in providing support in implementing the objectives of the Convention;

(iv) cooperation with other conventions; and

(v) strategy for resource mobilization.

During the 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) parties along with the international community including partners of the Biodiversity and Community Health (BaCH) Initiative discussed about the role of biodiversity for sustainable development.

In line with this COP’s theme ‘Biodiversity for Sustainable Development’ participating Ministers of Environment along with other high-level delegates stressed the mutually supportive nature of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This message was conveyed through the Gangwon Declaration – the main outcome of the High-Level Segment of COP 12.

The high-level meeting of a U.N. biodiversity conference adopted the Gangwon Declaration on October 16. The declaration was adopted at the High Level Segment of the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP12), which took place in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do (Ganwon Province), on October 15 and 16.

In the declaration, signatories agreed to make biodiversity a major issue in future discussions for setting sustainable development goals and the Post-2015 Development Agenda of the U.N. They expressed support for the Pyeongchang Roadmap in order to achieve world biodiversity goals, known as the “Aichi Targets,” by 2020. Participants also pushed for negotiations to make progress on mobilizing finances in this regard.

The Gangwon Declaration was adopted by participants in the High Level Segment of the COP12 on October 16. (Photos: Ministry of Environment)

In the declaration, they also welcomed the Korea-led biodiversity initiatives, including the “Bio-Bridge Initiative” for science and technology cooperation on biodiversity, the “Forest Ecosystem Restoration Initiative,” and the “Sustainable Ocean Initiative.”

 

Participants in the High Level Segment of the COP12, including Minister of Environment Yoon Seong Kyu (center) and CBD Executive Secretary Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias (third from right), pose for a photo during the closing ceremony on October 16. (Photos: Ministry of Environment)

Considering the importance of the timing of the international gathering, COP 12 adopted the new declaration, its first over the past ten years, at the convention level. Korea proposed the declaration, as it was the convention’s host country. Final agreement on the declaration was made after one year’s preparation and negotiation.

The Gangwon Declaration covers major issues of the conference and initiatives of environment ministries worldwide, who urged countries to ratify the earlier Nagoya Protocol and emphasized the mainstreaming of biodiversity. The declaration also contains a message welcoming the “Peace and Biodiversity Dialogue Initiative” proposed by Korea for the conservation of biodiversity in worldwide border areas. The declaration holds significance because this is only the fourth adoption of a declaration in the COP 12’s history.

The Korean Ministry of Environment said that this gathering was held at a critical time to decide whether to implement a 2011-2020 strategic plan for biodiversity and to achieve the goals of the 2020 Aichi Targets. The ministry expects the adoption of the Gangwon Declaration to present a broad direction for Korea to play the role as chair of the COP 12 over the next two years.

The Gangwon Declaration aims to send a strong message for the fundamental role of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets and Vision for 2050 to the post-2015 development agenda. As such one of the decisions (Decision XII/5) highlights the need to take further actions for food security and nutrition. Bioversity International, one of the BaCH Initiative’s key partners has been raising awareness for and generated evidence on the linkages between biodiversity conservation, food and nutrition to improve human nutrition and well-being at large over the last years. Amongst others, Bioversity International is anchoring the Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition Project – a multi-donor project in Brazil, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Turkey to mainstream biodiversity, food and nutrition.

The Minister of Environment of the Republic of Korea has presented to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon the three major outcomes of the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 12) on the role of biodiversity for sustainable development, for transmittal to the 69th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

The high-level ‘Gangwon Declaration on Biodiversity for Sustainable Development’ and two COP decisions on ‘Integrating biodiversity into the post-2015 development agenda’ and ‘Biodiversity for poverty eradication and sustainable development’ were presented in connection with upcoming negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda.

The Declaration, according to the CBD,

“emphasizes the relevance and key contribution of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets and Vision for 2050 to the post-2015 development agenda at all levels, and invites the General Assembly to integrate them effectively in the post-2015 development agenda.”

CBD Executive Secretary Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias commented that

“The results of COP 12 are further testament to the growing realization that biodiversity is essential for sustainable development, and is the basis for solutions to a number of challenges we will face in the 21st century, including food and water security, disaster risk reduction and others.”

Global Biodiversity Outlook 4

Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO) is the flagship publication of the Convention on Biological Diversity. It is a periodic report that summarizes the latest data on the status and trends of biodiversity and draws conclusions relevant to the further implementation of the Convention.

The fourth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook was officially launched on the opening day of the Twelfth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 12) in Pyeongchang, Korea. The report draws on various sources of information to provide a mid-term assessment of progress towards the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, an issue which will be discussed during COP-12.

Download the report as a pdf:

Download the summary and conclusions as a pdf:

In addition to the main GBO-4 report several related reports have also been prepared. These reports provide the scientific underpinning for the main GBO-4 report:

  • Technical series 78 – Progress Towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets: An Assessment of Biodiversity Trends, policy scenarios and key actions
  • Technical series 79 – How Sectors Can Contribute to Sustainable Use and Conservation of Biodiversity
  • Technical series 81 – Plant Conservation Report 2014: A Review of Progress Towards the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation 2011-2020

Press Review

  • “One of the most contentious negotiations at COP 12 was over the appropriate level of financial commitments needed from developed and developing country Parties in order to support the achievement of the twenty Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The High-Level Panel’s Report estimates that it will cost between US$150 billion and US$440 billion per year to achieve the Aichi Targets by 2020, several magnitudes higher than current expenditures.” […]Maggie Comstock. “COP 12 Indicates More Funds, Capacity Building Needed For Biodiversity” , Ecosystem Marketplace (24 October 2014)
  • “In preparation for the High-level Segment of the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the CBD Secretariat has circulated the draft text of the ‘Gangwon Declaration on Biodiversity for Sustainable Development’ prepared by the Government of the Republic of Korea, for Parties’ comments.The COP Bureau requested that Parties be given further opportunity to provide comments on the text, with a view to facilitating its adoption.The draft Declaration highlights the role of biodiversity in sustainable development and calls on Parties to integrate implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets with implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the post-2015 development agenda.The High-level Segment of CBD COP 12 will be held from 15-16 October 2014..” […] Elsa Tsioumani, LL.M. “CBD Secretariat Circulates Draft Gangwon Declaration on Biodiversity for Sustainable Development” , IISD (10 September 2014)
  • “The Minister of Environment of the Republic of Korea has presented to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon the three major outcomes of the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 12) on the role of biodiversity for sustainable development, for transmittal to the 69th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).The high-level ‘Gangwon Declaration on Biodiversity for Sustainable Development’ and two COP decisions on ‘Integrating biodiversity into the post-2015 development agenda’ and ‘Biodiversity for poverty eradication and sustainable development’ were presented in connection with upcoming negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda.” […] Tanya Rosen. “Gangwon Declaration Presented to UN Secretary-General for Transmittal to UNGA” , IISD (16 December 2014)

Category

Declaration

Date

12-17 Oct., 2014.

Promulgation

The twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, Republic of Korea, 12-17 Oct., 2014.

Descriptions

  • The Declaration declares the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets, which are to be achieved by the end of this decade.
  • The Declaration adopted gave a mid-term evaluation to the UN Decade on Biodiversity (2011-2020) initiative, which aims to promote the conservation and sustainable use of nature.
  • The Declaration adopted the Pyeongchang Roadmap 2020 for the enhanced implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity targets (known as “Pyeongchang Roadmap 2020“), which addresses ways to achieve biodiversity through technology cooperation, funding and strengthening the capacity of developing countries.
  • The Declaration calls on all Parties to integrate implementation of the Strategic Plan and Aichi Biodiversity Targets with the implementation of the targets and vision for 2050, and post-2015 agenda and other relevant policy and planning measures.

  Source

https://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2014/ntf-2014-111-hls-en.pdf (CBD Notification, including Draft Declaration)

 https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-12/full/cop-12-dec-en.pdf (adopted version)

  Download

http://orcp.hustoj.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Gangwon-Declaration-2014.pdf

 References

1.
Mid-term review of progress in implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 including the fourth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook, and actions to enhance implementation
2.
Review of progress in providing support in implementing the objectives of the Convention and the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, and enhancement of capacity-building, technical and scientific cooperation and other initiatives to assist implementation
3.
Resource mobilization
4.
Integrating biodiversity into the post-2015 United Nations development agenda and the sustainable development goals
5.
Biodiversity for poverty eradication and sustainable development
6.
Cooperation with other conventions, international organizations and initiatives
7.
Mainstreaming gender considerations
8.
Stakeholder engagement
9.
Engagement with subnational and local governments
10.
Business engagement
11.
Biodiversity and tourism development
12.
Article 8(j) and related provisions
13.
Access and benefit-sharing
14.
Liability and redress in the context of paragraph 2 of Article 14 of the Convention
15.
Global Strategy for Plant Conservation 2011-2020
16.
Invasive alien species: management of risks associated with introduction of alien species as pets, aquarium and terrarium species, and as live bait and live food, and related issues
17.
Invasive alien species: review of work and considerations for future work
18.
Sustainable use of biodiversity: bushmeat and sustainable wildlife management
19.
Ecosystem conservation and restoration
20.
Biodiversity and climate change and disaster risk reduction
21.
Biodiversity and human health
22.
Marine and coastal biodiversity: ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAS)
23.
Marine and coastal biodiversity: Impacts on marine and coastal biodiversity of anthropogenic underwater noise and ocean acidification, priority actions to achieve Aichi Biodiversity Target 10 for coral reefs and closely associated ecosystems, and marine spatial planning and training initiatives
24.
New and emerging issues: synthetic biology
25.
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
26.
Improving the efficiency of structures and processes of the Convention: Subsidiary Body on Implementation
27.
Improving the efficiency of structures and processes of the Convention: Concurrent meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention and of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meetings of the Parties to the Protocols
28.
Retirement of decisions
29.
Improving the efficiency of structures and processes under the Convention: other matters
30.
Financial mechanism
31.
Multi-year programme of work of the Conference of the Parties up to 2020
32.
Administration of the Convention and the budget for the Trust Funds of the Convention
33.
Tribute to the Government and people of the Republic of Korea
34.
Date and venue of the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties
35.
Date and venue of the fourteenth and fifteenth meetings of the Conference of the Parties
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I am currently a Professor of Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, China.

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