Fostering Harmonisation through Development and Capacity Building. Third SABC Dhaka, Bangladesh th September 2015

Transcription

1 Fostering Harmonisation through Development and Capacity Building Third SABC Dhaka, Bangladesh th September 2015

2 Goal & Objective To maintain globally significant biodiversity and the ecosystem goods and services that it provides to society. The strategy encompasses one objective: to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity.

3 Cartagena Protocol Provisions Article 14 para 1 Parties may enter into bilateral, regional and multilateral agreements and arrangements regarding intentional transboundary movements of living modified organisms, consistent with the objective of this Protocol and provided that such agreements and arrangements do not result in a lower level of protection than that provided for by the Protocol.

4 Legal & Policy Imperatives Regional Provisions on shared oversight and movement of natural resources Best Practices/Lessons Learnt

5 Regional Project - Trends Guided by a stocktaking process to assess areas for purely national versus regional interventions Focus on Harmonised approaches (Technical Frameworks) i. Harmonised regulatory frameworks (guidance for mainstreaming) ii. Technical procedures, guidelines and toolkits Should have shared ownership and institutionalised framework at Regional level to ensure sustainability

6 Practices (Development Focus) Guided by shared responsibilities Shared expertise and resources (advisory groups, joint technical teams, inspectorate support, shared data) National vs Regional sharing of resources and focus Biosafety Framework vs Thematic framework or a mix of both?

7 Potential Source of Funding Bilateral and Multi-lateral sources (including regional funds) Party - Party Triggers GEF Biosafety Program using the STAR allocation under Biodiversity

8 Core Program 5: Biosafety Implementation of NBF for remaining countries i. Assessed in the stock-taking analysis recommend a national approach ii. Support to Regional or sub-regional projects based on cost effective sharing resources and coordination between biosafety frameworks iii. Stocktaking assessments should support potential for: coordinating biosafety frameworks, interchange of regional expertise, and capacity building of common priority or thematic areas

9 Core Program 6: Biosafety The GEF will support some thematic projects addressing some of the specific provisions of the Cartagena Protocol. These projects should be developed at the regional or sub-regional level and be built on a common set of targets and opportunities to implement the protocol beyond the development and implementation of NBFs. The GEF will support the ratification and implementation of the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the CPB for those parties where the NBF has been implemented and is fully operational.

10 Key Issues Stocking of existing instruments/practices Measures defined by wider regional imperatives Identify relevant publics Regional participation specific & needed expertise Agreement on Simplified procedures (art.13) Mainstream national/global discourse eg. International Biosafety/Biosecurity Treaties Identify entry points for capacity building that allows for shared regional ownership

11 Opportunities for Capacity Building Capacity Building support from the Financial mechanisms articles 22 & 28 (BS VII/5) Recommendations - COPs Guidance from Capacity Building Framework(s) Mainstreaming of NBSAPs & Resource Mobilisation Bilateral, regional and intergovernmental agencies

12 What are Target(s)? Ensure a vibrant participation process and technical tools to support national decision making on biosafety with clearly defined guidance Disseminate recommendations, best practices and feedback for replication build capacities to sustain harmonisation

13 Possible Regional and National Biosafety Fig. 2 Suggested Regional functions - Issues and National to Biosafety consider functions National biosafety function Regional responsibility Regional biosafety function National decision making Cartagena Protocol & Related Biosafety Obligations: National Focal Point(s) Clearing House (s) Competent authority(ies) National entry point(s) for applications Environmental Risk & Food Safety Issues Inspections & monitoring Clearing House (Databases Development) Labelling Public Awareness Scientific risk assessment review Regional Advisory Panels Common or harmonized application formats Regional biosafety guidelines Biosafety Data gathering & sharing Training Risk and Food Safety Assessment Model Subsidiary legislations? Toolkits

14 Potential Partners Parties within the Region SAARC/SAC UNEP GEF SAARC/SAC? Regional partners

15 Recommendations Strengthened public participation measures could strengthen Decision making processes Utilise national & regional measures on sustainable utilisation of Biodiversity Develop regional strategies with clear defined action plans Implementing BS Strategy

16 Concluding Remarks The Protocol provides an important international framework for safety in the transboundary movement of LMOs It is important for Parties to get well acquainted with their rights and obligations under the Protocol

17 UNEP: A Partner in Building the Biosafety Capacity Building for the Implementation of the Biosafety Protocol

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19 Contacts Alex Owusu-Biney Portfolio Manager, Biosafety UNEP/GEF Biosafety Unit P. O. Box Nairobi, Kenya Tel: Fax: /42