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Biodiversity Convention Meeting Opens in Curitiba, Brazil’s Ecological Capital

March 20, 2006. The eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP-8) opened today in Curitiba, Brazil. Over 100 Ministers and 3000 delegates are attending the meetings that run through March 30, 2006.
“The Parties to the Convention can count on the GEF as a proactive partner,” said Gonzalo Castro, GEF Biodiversity Team Leader, while providing an update on GEF activities to the plenary.

As the principal financing mechanism for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the GEF is playing an active role in the meetings, participating in the technical discussions and hosting knowledge-sharing events.

“With GEF support, governments have established or strengthened nearly 1,500 protected areas in 300 million hectares, close to 25% of the worldwide system of protected areas. And we are committed to doing more to help the Convention achieve its overarching objective of reducing the rate of loss of biological diversity by 2010,” said Dr Castro. See the full GEF report (Item 13).

Since 1991, the GEF has financed over 500 biodiversity conservation projects in 140 countries, with a combined value of $6.5 billion. This amount includes GEF support for 290 enabling activities valued at $92.4 million for implementing the CBD’s direct obligations.

Overview of GEF-sponsored events during March 2006:

  • March 20 presentation to the Plenary
  • March 21, 1315-1500 hrs: The GEF Resource Allocation Framework (RAF), featuring presentations by Gonzalo Castro, Ramesh Ramankutty, and Ravi Sharma
  • March 22, 1315-1500 hrs: GEF Third Overall Performance Study and Biodiversity Program Study, featuring presentations by the Evaluation Office
  • March 23, 1315-1400 hrs: GEF Biodiversity Portfolio: Evolution, General Trends and Future Prospects
  • March 24, 1315-1400 hrs: GEF Support for Island Biodiversity and Good Practice
  • March 27, 1830-2015 hrs: National Capacity Self-Assessments (NCSAs) and Enabling Activities in the GEF
  • March 28, 1315-1500 hrs: Interactive Event with Len Good, GEF CEO
  • March 28, 1500-1700 hrs: Interactive dialogue with indigenous and local communities

Major expected outcomes of the meetings include fresh impetus for an international regime on access to biodiversity and benefit-sharing, adoption of measures to protecting vulnerable biodiversity of islands, agreement on future priorities for biodiversity conservation, promoting local knowledge on biological diversity, and agreement on the second phase of the CBD work program.

The GEF has also participated in the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and made a statement to the plenary.

Additional Information

Statement by Len Good, GEF CEO

Conference of the Parties 8, Meeting of the Parties 3, Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

For a list of meeting venues and updates, please visit the CBD website

More information on GEF’s efforts in conserving biodiversity