RI backs dialog on biodiversity, wants consensus
RI backs dialog on biodiversity, wants consensus
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia, host to an ongoing international
biodiversity discussion, is happy with the progress achieved in
the talks, including that in relation with the contentious rules
on genetic engineering.
Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, who chairs the
Second Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity,
said yesterday that Indonesia hopes to encourage dialog for
further consensus on environmental commitment.
The talks, which entered the fourth day yesterday and will run
to Nov. 17, follow last year's first conference in the Bahamas.
Participants are seeking ways to implement the Convention, issued
at the 1992 Earth Summit.
The positive outcome so far includes an almost-reached
consensus on the need for internationally binding procedures for
genetic engineering, known as the "biosafety protocols".
Also, the four countries competing to be the location of the
future secretariat of the Convention, have agreed that a decision
on the question must be made here.
The countries are Canada, Kenya, Spain and Switzerland.
Sarwono said most countries' position on many issues covered
in the talks, such as intellectual and community property rights,
may still evolve and change. He linked this with the fact that
many of the governments only ratified the Convention last year.
Therefore, a consensus on details may well be difficult to
reach, he said. One of the reasons is the fact that many issues,
such as the need to assess the safety of genetically engineered
products entering the market, are new to the governments.
"We know a biosafety protocol is important, but not everyone
of us understand these things yet," he said.
Indonesia's position on many of the issues, he said, "is to
encourage dialog and ensure every party can express their views".
The Conference provides the opportunity "to get to know each
other's views better".
Sarwono has repeatedly encouraged the participation of non-
governmental organizations (NGOs). He promised yesterday to seek
additional rooms for their activities at the conference site.
The place for a discussion featuring representatives of
indigenous groups, held by local NGOs called the BioForum 95, had
to be moved three times yesterday because of space limitations.
Some 40 international, foreign and local NGOs are
participating as observers in the event, organizing talks and
exhibits.
Responding to questions about Indonesia's follow-up to the
Conference, Sarwono said a team of experts is already working on
a draft plan of action.
The recommendations will aim at preparing all sectors to
support environmental commitment, he said.
For instance, most government institutions will have to be
involved in the campaign to prepare necessary instruments to
avoid unsafe entry of genetically engineered products, he said.
He named as examples of the institutions the Ministry of
Agriculture, the Agency for the Assessment and Application of
Technology and the Indonesian Institute of Science.
Yesterday's talks moved to marine and coastal biodiversity,
with participants agreeing on the need to establish an
intergovernmental panel of experts on the issues.
"This will be the first intergovernmental body focused on a
specific issue of the Convention," according to executive
secretary of the Convention Calestous Juma of Kenya.
The body will first demonstrate governments' commitments on
one of the world's most serious environmental issues, he said.
Second, it will enable further meetings to accept major
decisions quickly with the support of the organized experts, Juma
said.
The participating NGOs made their presence felt yesterday by
airing their views through a number statements.
One from more than 100 NGOs from 24 countries called for world
fisheries reforms. It said, among other things, "Many countries
have pursued policies designed to maximize export earnings and
fisheries production, often under pressure to service foreign
debt, and often to the detriment of fish stocks, marine
biodiversity and coastal communities".
The proposed actions include requirements of selective
techniques to reduce unintentional fish catches and waste.
In addition to the 80 to 85 million tons of fish landed
annually, the most conservative estimate of unintentional catches
of fish and waste indicate that 17 to 39 million tons of fish are
caught and discarded every year, the NGO said.
The Biodiversity Action Network, the International Union for
Conservation of Nature and the World Conservation Union, called
for the establishment of a cooperation among all international
instruments and institutions on coastal and marine biodiversity,
to start in the ongoing meeting. (anr)
Editorial -- Page 4