26th meeting of the SBSTTA of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

General Studies Paper-3

Context: The 26th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-26) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has concluded recently.

About

• The SBSTTA, is a multidisciplinary body open to all Contracting parties, which provides scientific and technical assessments of the status of biodiversity.
• It recommended fully implement The Biodiversity Plan adopted at Montreal in 2022.
• They would be deliberated upon further at the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP16).
  • The conference will be held in the Colombian city of Cali from October 21-November 1, 2024.

Issues Discussed at the Meeting

• Scientific and technical needs to support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
• Detection and identification of living modified organisms.
• Risk assessment and risk management.
• Synthetic biology.
• Marine and coastal biodiversity: Ecologically or biologically significant marine areas and Conservation & sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity.
• Biodiversity and health.
• Monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
• The meeting set the stage for a potential agreement on how the world defines — and consequently protects — ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSA).

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

• CBD is the international legal instrument for “the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources”.
• It was signed by 150 government leaders at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, it has been ratified by 196 nations.
• Its overall objective is to encourage actions, which will lead to a sustainable future.
• It has two supplementary agreements, the Cartagena Protocol and Nagoya Protocol.
  • Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by genetically modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.
  • Nagoya Protocol aims for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
• The CBD’s governing body is the Conference of the Parties (COP).
• All parties that have ratified the treaty meets every two years to review progress, set priorities and commit to work plans.
• The Secretariat of the CBD is based in Montreal, Canada.