Convention on Biological Diversity

GEN

Recognizes the importance of the inter-sessional efforts of the Conference of the Parties since its 4th meeting to improve the effectiveness of the operations of the Convention; recognizes the importance of the adoption of a protocol on biosafety at the resumed session of the 1st extraordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties, to be held at Montreal, Canada, from 24 to 28 Jan. 2000; reaffirms paragraph 10 of decision IV/15, in which the Conference of the Parties emphasized that further work is required to help develop a common appreciation of the relationship between intellectual property rights and the relevent provisions of the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual property Rights and the Convention on Biological Diversity; stresses the importance of the implementation of the convention at all levels; encourages those States that have not yet ratified the Convention to do so as soon as possible; recognizes the importance of national action to conserve biological diversity in many habitats; welcomes the offer of Spain to host, at Seville in Mar. 2000, the 1st meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Inter-sessional working Group on article 8 (j) of the Convention regarding the traditional knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities; encourages the secretariats of various environmental and environment-related conventions and other international organizations with a view to facilitating progress in their implementation at the international, regional and national levels; invites all funding institutions and bilateral and multilateral donors, to cooperate with the secretariat of the Convention in the implementation of the programme of work; calls upon States parties to the Convention to settle urgently any arrears and to pay their contributions in full and in a timely manner.

Adopted without vote, 87th meeting

4 p.

Adopted at the 87th plenary meeting, 22 Dec. 1999.