Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity
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| Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity | |
|---|---|
| Name | Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity |
| Formation | 1993 |
| Type | International conference |
| Status | Active |
| Headquarters | Montreal |
| Location | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Membership | Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity |
| Leader title | Chair |
| Leader name | Rotating Chairs |
| Parent organization | United Nations |
Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity is the principal governing body of the Convention on Biological Diversity, convening representatives of Parties, observers, and international organizations to negotiate biodiversity policy, adopt decisions, and review implementation. The Conference provides guidance to the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and oversees instruments such as the Nagoya Protocol and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Its sessions bring together ministers, negotiators, indigenous representatives, and non-governmental actors to address biodiversity loss, access and benefit-sharing, and conservation finance.
Background and Mandate
The Conference of the Parties (COP) was established by the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro (1992) and opened for signature at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. The COP’s mandate is set out in Article 23 of the Convention and comprises review of implementation, adoption of recommendations, and coordination with other international agreements such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The COP also evaluates the need for additional protocols, leading to instruments like the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing. Its authority includes setting global targets exemplified by the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the post-2020 global biodiversity framework negotiated with inputs from UN Environment Programme, World Wide Fund for Nature, and indigenous organizations such as the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity.
Membership and Participation
Membership comprises States that are Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity; notable Parties include Brazil, India, China, United States (ratification status varies), European Union as a regional organization, and numerous small island developing States like Fiji and Maldives. Observers include United Nations specialized agencies such as Food and Agriculture Organization, multilateral development banks like the World Bank, treaty secretariats including the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species, and non-state actors such as Conservation International, Greenpeace, and the IUCN. Indigenous and local community representation is organized through mechanisms that link to bodies such as the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and regional caucuses like the African Group and the Alliance of Small Island States.
Meetings and Decision-Making Process
COP sessions are typically biennial plenary meetings hosted in Parties’ capitals or major cities, with historical venues including Montreal, Hyderabad, Cancún, and Nagoya. The procedural rules draw on precedents from the United Nations General Assembly and other multilateral environmental agreements like the Basel Convention and the Stockholm Convention. Decisions are adopted by consensus where possible, with voting procedures analogous to conventions under the United Nations Environment Programme. Subsidiary bodies—such as the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body on Implementation—prepare technical reports, often informed by assessments from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and scientific panels like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Major Decisions and Protocols
Key outcomes include the adoption of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000) governing transboundary movement of living modified organisms and the Nagoya Protocol (2010) on access and benefit-sharing. The COP endorsed the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (2010) and negotiated the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, which received political attention similar to negotiations under the Paris Agreement. Decisions have addressed topics ranging from marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction discussed alongside the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to language on synthetic biology debated with actors like the World Health Organization. The COP has also established thematic programs involving partners such as UNESCO and UNDP and launched initiatives with foundations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
Implementation and National Reporting
The COP requires Parties to submit national reports detailing measures taken to implement the Convention, integrating data reported to entities like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and regional bodies such as the European Environment Agency. Capacity-building and technology transfer commitments often reference support from institutions like the Global Environment Facility and regional development banks including the Asian Development Bank. National biodiversity strategies and action plans are reviewed at COP sessions, and compliance mechanisms draw on examples from the Montreal Protocol and the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Cooperative Implementation modalities.
Funding, Secretariat, and Support Mechanisms
The COP is supported administratively by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity based in Montreal, funded through assessed and voluntary contributions administered by the Global Environment Facility as the financial mechanism. Technical and financial support come from partners such as UNDP, World Bank, Green Climate Fund (in intersecting climate-biodiversity initiatives), and philanthropic donors including the Rockefeller Foundation. Financial arrangements for implementation include the GEF trust fund, bilateral aid agreements, and multilateral initiatives coordinated with agencies like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Criticisms, Challenges, and Impact
Critics have pointed to implementation gaps similar to critiques of the Aichi Targets and to north–south funding imbalances debated in fora like the Cancún Agreements. Challenges include reconciling trade interests represented by the World Trade Organization with conservation objectives, addressing intellectual property issues in World Intellectual Property Organization negotiations, and ensuring meaningful participation of indigenous peoples framed by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Despite critique, COP decisions have catalyzed national legislation, contributed to protected area expansions alongside UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and influenced corporate commitments in supply chains monitored by organizations like Forest Stewardship Council and Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.