CBDA OPENING STATEMENT
Geneva resumed sessions - March, 2022
Mr Chair,
First, we want to express our solidarity with all victims of wars and conflicts: present and past. Wars destroy human lives, well-being and biodiversity.
We quote from the CBD preamble:
“Noting that, ultimately, the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity will strengthen friendly relations among States and contribute to peace for humankind”
Second, we wish to express our concerns on the following:
• The current GBF draft does not address any of the current drivers of biodiversity loss: ever-increasing economic growth, excessive consumption levels, unsustainable production, corporate capture, and blind faith in technology to fix our problems.
• Instead, there is great emphasis on false solutions through, for example, naturebased solutions (NBS), dangerously vague, all too easily abused, and applied to approaches that are destructive of biodiversity.
• Added to this, the draft mainstreaming decision that asks us to accept the long term approach to mainstreaming, was elaborated in an undemocratic way by a small unbalanced group, and leads to more power and control by corporations with no government regulation at all.
• We also express our concern on any proposal to remove all ‘cross-cutting issues’ and place them in a mere ‘guidance’ section.
Third, we believe the following aspects should be at the center of the debate in the coming weeks:
• The rights to land and resources of IPLCs with their full free prior and informed consent, the Right to a Healthy Environment, all human rights, and the protection of EHRD must be at the heart of the GBF.
• We also call for inclusive language to recognise the vital rights and roles of smallscale food producers, and of agroecological food production, currently nowhere in the GBF.
• We need commitment to mobilization of resources for, and in direct support of, IPLC, women, youth.
• Improving and securing conditions for equitable governance of biodiversity should be adequately addressed, including in area-based measures and related targets as well as in targets on drivers of biodiversity loss, finance and other enabling conditions.
• Benefit sharing should include research outcomes and related knowledge and cannot be limited to commercial products.
• We call for a ban on deep-sea mining.
• Governance of conserved areas must be equitable, gender just and effective with the participation of all rights holders and the full respect of all Human Rights.
Indigenous territories and community conserved areas clearly play a crucial part in preserving biodiversity as shown in the IPBES Global Assessment.
• Implementation is an obligation for parties to the CBD, not an option. A whole of government approach, harmonized NBSAPs and National Reports and a constructive, collaborative peer review mechanism are key elements for this.
Financial and technical resources to help southern countries need to be upscaled considerably, on top of the elimination and repurposing of ALL harmful incentives for biodiversity.
• Improved and secured conditions of equitable AND GENDER JUST governance are required as well as a stand alone target on Gender.
Parties in Geneva have a great responsability to decide on a Framework that effectively addresses the drivers of biodiversity loss, holds duty bearers accountable, and secures the conditions for recognition and engagement of all actors, especially IPLC, women, youth and small scale food producers.
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