Environment ministers seek to thrash out biodiversity deal<\/p>\n
Eileen Ng
\nAgence France-Presse
\nKuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Environment ministers from 74 countries opened a two-day United
\nNations meeting on Wednesday seeking to curb the extinction rate
\nof threatened species and to map out regulations to ensure
\ndeveloping nations benefit from the commercialization of their
\nbiological resources.<\/p>\n
The ministers are expected to thrash out differences over
\nplans for a legally-binding framework for what is known as
\n"access and benefit-sharing" (ABS), after earlier deadlock among
\nsenior officials attending the conference of parties to the
\nConvention on Biological Diversity.<\/p>\n
Rich countries are seeking a non-binding agreement, but
\ndeveloping countries, home to the bulk of the world's pristine
\nhabitats, are pressing for it to be binding to ensure that they
\ndo not lose out from the commercialization of the resources and
\nto combat bio-piracy.<\/p>\n
At stake are billions of dollars in medicinal and other
\nproducts developed by rich countries through the use of the
\ngenetic resources and traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples
\nin the developing world.<\/p>\n
The head of a working group on the issue, India's Desh Deepak
\nVerma, told AFP that delegates had agreed to negotiate the scope
\nof the international regime on ABS on the basis that it would be
\nnon-binding.<\/p>\n
Verma said this was "a move in the right direction" as
\ndeveloped countries had previously rejected the idea of any
\nregulations at all.<\/p>\n
But Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva told reporters
\nthat a legally binding framework that allowed technology transfer
\nand recognized the autonomy of the indigenous peoples and their
\nrights was the only way to ensure a fair share of benefits and
\ncompensation.<\/p>\n
"The regime should be legally binding. This is the only
\neffective way to combat bio-piracy," she said.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's Environment Minister Law Hieng Ding told AFP: "What
\ndeveloping countries want is a binding instrument on ABS. We
\nwill not give up, we will continue the fight."<\/p>\n
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in an opening
\nspeech read by his deputy, Najib Razak, said that a legal regime
\non ABS was vital because companies from developed countries
\nreaped the harvest but were unwilling to share the benefits with
\ncountries that owned the resources.<\/p>\n
"Developed countries with their vast financial resources and
\nadvanced biotechnologies continue to exploit and convert these
\nresources into valuable commercial products," he said.<\/p>\n
Abdullah also noted that a recent study by the Malaysian
\nNature Society showed that species were disappearing at the rate
\nof three per hour and called for immediate action.<\/p>\n
He urged rich countries to increase financial and technical
\nresources to help developing countries in their conservation
\nefforts and achieve goals to significantly reduce biodiversity
\nlosses by 2010.<\/p>\n
Apart from the ministers, the conference has drawn some 2,000
\ngovernment officials, scientists and activists to Kuala Lumpur.<\/p>",
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