CANADA WELCOMES NEW BIODIVERSITY PROTOCOL IN NAGOYA
NAGOYA, Japan, Oct. 29 /CNW/ - Canada, alongside 192 other Parties, today adopted an international Protocol that addresses the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources found in plants, animals and microorganisms. The 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP10) brought nations together in Nagoya, Japan, from October 18 to 29, 2010, to work on finalizing an agreement.
"Canada is proud to join the international consensus in adopting the Nagoya Protocol as it presents solutions that work for all Parties, and ultimately for biodiversity and the rich natural inheritance we all share", declared the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment. "Canada has a long history of support for the Convention on Biological Diversity and has worked tirelessly to shape an effective Protocol on access and benefits sharing (ABS) that balances the obligations of both users and providers of genetic resources and that recognizes the importance of traditional knowledge."
"We are also pleased that an ambitious and achievable strategic plan for protecting biodiversity into the future has also been agreed. This post-2010 framework will sustain momentum, spur new efforts and make an important contribution to preserving biodiversity around the globe. We look forward to working with our many partners, internationally and in Canada, to protect our natural inheritance."
In recent years, the Government of Canada made substantial investments to halt biodiversity loss, now protecting close to 100 million hectares of land, nearly 10% of Canada's land mass, 5.6 million hectares of our oceans and Great Lakes, and taking action to protect species at risk and their habitat. Canada also has one of the best national park systems in the world and has grown it by 30% in 4 years.
Canada was the first developed country to ratify the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 and has hosted the Secretariat to the Convention since 1996.
In addition to adopting the Nagoya Protocol, the Government of Canada demonstrated that its commitment to conservation goes beyond Canadian borders, with a $40 million contribution to the World Bank to address deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, as part of its $400 million contribution this year in fast-start financing under the Copenhagen Accord.
(Également offert en français)
For further information:
Pascale Boulay Press Secretary Office of the Minister of the Environment 819-997-1441 |
Media Relations Environment Canada 819-934-8008 1-888-908-8008 |
Canada's Environment Minister Twitter page: http://twitter.com/jimprentice |
Environment Canada's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/environmentcan |
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