Now it is Action Time for biodiversity policy makers, who are coming together at COP 16 for the first time since the adoption of the historic Global Biodiversity Framework in 2022, and the big question on the table is: āDo we have the resources we need?ā Delivering finance for conservation will be at the heart of North-South negotiations the coming weeks, and the demand of developing countries that developed countries pay the new and additional costs of biodiversity conservation in light of historical injustices is fair and square. Read more >
Helena Paul, Econexus
The planet is losing biodiversity at alarming rates. Planetary boundaries are breached, with serious negative implications for future generations of human
beings and all living organisms and ecosystems. The main driving forces for this ongoing disaster are corporations operating in sectors such as food and agriculture, forestry, mining, energy, infrastructure, and finance, which are wreaking havoc around the planet. Read more >
Nele Mariƫn, Friends of the Earth International
In a world where economic growth is sacred for most decision-makers, and where profit-making is the mandate corporate CEOs have, biodiversity is constantly under threat. Significant parts of the economy rely upon the continued possibility to implement ādeve-lopment projectsā in areas with valuable ecosystems. Read more >
Antje Lorch, Ecoropa
The third objective of the Convention is an obligation to āthe fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resourcesā.
The world was a different place in 1993 when this was decided. When the genome of whole organisms where sequenced it was a mile stone, but not many could have envisioned a point where samples can be sequenced and uploaded in the field; with GPS coordinates of the exact sampling location as additional metadata - and where digital biopiracy would be possible without physical material leaving the country. Read more >
Eva Sirinathsinghji, Third World Network
Novel synthetic biology applications, such as those designed to possess self-spreading capabilities, to perform wild ecosystem-wide engineering, or to use the worldās genetic biodiversity for the production of AI-generated artificial genetic sequences, pose serious challenges to biosafety regulations and risk assessments. Such conceptual and biological novelties raise a wide range of ecological, health, socio-economic, cultural and ethical concerns. Significant hype also surrounds the industry, warranting careful scrutiny over which are the most viable, locally appropriate and less risky approaches for protecting biodiversity and human well-being. Read more >