Fairly, equitably sharing valuable benefits from digital sequence information —  the digital versions of plant, animal, and microorganism DNA: crucial week of UN negotiations begins in Montreal 12 August

UN Convention on Biological Diversity

 

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In Colombia 21 Oct.- 1 Nov, Parties to the CBD will assess progress against the goals and 23 ambitious targets for 2030 agreed to in the historic Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework of 2022. Resource mobilisation and technical and scientific cooperation will be central to the negotiations. Beyond the DSI-related fund, financial ambitions agreed to in the KMGBF include investing US$ 200 billion a year from all sources in biodiversity, and reforming US$ 500 billion in government subsidies that undermine biodiversity.

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Credit: UN CBD

Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will negotiate how to operationalise a multilateral mechanism established in 2022 to fairly and equitably share vast financial and other benefits produced by uses of high-tech, digital versions of plant, animal, and microorganism DNA (Digital Sequence Information: DSI).

Goal of the mechanism and fund, part of the historic Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) agreement of 2022: To benefit nature and its custodians, including indigenous peoples and local communities

Montreal — Marking a potentially pivotal moment, over 300 delegates and negotiators will convene in Montreal from 12 to 16 August 2024 to advance a 2022 global agreement to share fairly and equitably the multi-trillion dollar annual revenues and other benefits derived from uses of Digital Sequence Information (DSI) on genetic resources, including the DNA of plants, animals, and microorganisms.

The Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Benefit-sharing from the Use of DSI on Genetic Resources, established by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity's 196 Parties, will work through options for operationalizing the multilateral mechanism, including a global fund. The mechanism and fund were adopted at CBD's COP 15 in 2022 as part of the historic Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF)—a master plan guiding biodiversity actions worldwide through 2030.

If its operationalization is adopted at COP16 (Cali, Colombia, 21 October -1 November 2024), the mechanism is expected to mobilize new additional funding for biodiversity conservation worldwide and support the CBD's three overarching objectives: conserving biological diversity, sustainably using its components, and fairly and equitably sharing benefits from uses of genetic resources.

“The Parties are ready to move into the next stage of considering options based on extensive work done so far. We appreciate their confidence and commitment to achieve a pragmatic, adaptive solution that is cost-effective, efficient and simple,” said Mphatso Kalemba of Malawi and William Lockhart of the United Kingdom, Co-Chairs of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group within which the negotiations are unfolding. “At this meeting, we hope to hear clear, positive commitments and goodwill to shape this multilateral mechanism.”

Sectors that rely on DSI, including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cosmetics, and agriculture, stand to gain from clearer guidelines on benefit-sharing, while indigenous peoples and local communities, as custodians of biodiversity, stand to benefit from the fund. The talks in Montreal will address critical operational details: who pays, how much, under what conditions, and how to ensure transparency and inclusivity in decision-making.

Said Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the CBD: “The multilateral mechanism is a game-changer. It is expected to provide a multilateral solution and policy guidance on benefit-sharing from the use of DSI on genetic resources, address the crucial aspects of equity, fairness and social justice, bolster capacity-building, development and technology transfer, and mobilize new streams of biodiversity finance.” 

The multilateral mechanism could be a signature outcome of the forthcoming COP 16 in Cali, Colombia, she added.

Like the historic KMGBF adopted in 2022, "a breakthrough on the DSI multilateral mechanism would signal that environmental multilateralism can deliver for people and nature,” Ms. Schomaker said.

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WGDSI-2 meeting documents, other resources: https://www.cbd.int/conferences/wgdsi-2 

COP 16 meeting documents: https://bit.ly/3zhS7jK
In Cali, Parties to the CBD will take stock of progress towards the goals and 23 ambitious targets for 2030 agreed to in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Resource mobilisation and technical and scientific cooperation will be central to the negotiations. 

Financial ambitions set out in the KMGBF include investing US$ 200 billion a year from all sources, and reforming US$ 500 billion in government subsidies that undermine biodiversity.

The UN Biodiversity Conference in Cali is comprised of:

●  the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16)

●  the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

●  the 5th meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing.

See also: “On the road to COP 16 in Cali: three priority areas for action”: https://bit.ly/4faX3aN

About the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): https://www.cbd.int/convention/guide/