Meetings & Workshops

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Conferences

March 20-31 2006	The 8th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-8) to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) COP-8 took place between 20-31 March 2006. With the largest number of participants the Convention has ever seen, and a record participation of stakeholders, several of which were from the private sector, the COP-8 also gave space for an unprecedented number of side events. Below is a list of reports for the side events held by Biotrade and its partners at the COP-8. Check out the BTFP newsletter COP Special, which details the results of Bioitrade's participation at this event.

Business Roundtable: 22 March 2006

As one of the objectives of BioTrade is to engage engagement the private sector in biodiversity business, the BTFP took the opportunity to organise a roundtable on biodiversity and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This was part of a two-day workshop on the role of the private sector in the implementation of the CBD. The roundtable discussed the role that SMEs see for themselves in the context of the CBD. These companies, specifically those linked to the natural ingredients sector, shared their experiences and the challenges they face in areas such as certification, market access and benefit sharing.

Report on Roundtable and SMEs

Global Biodiversity Forum: 25 March 2006

The workshop on “Verifying Biodiversity Trade” brought together approximately 60 people from the private sector, NGOs, and intergovernmental organisations to explore options for verifying the sustainability of biodiversity-based businesses. This is particularly relevant to the COP8 agenda items on incentives, private sector engagement and the 2010 targets. It is also directly relevant to the promotion of sustainable and equitable trade through CITES and the WTO Doha Agenda. Specifically, the participants call on the Parties to (a) support the integration of biodiversity into existing ethical certification processes, (b) strengthen the role of trade promotion initiatives in support of BioTrade, (c) finance much-needed biodiversity product development, and (d) build greater consumer awareness of biodiversity-benefiting businesses. By making trade work for biodiversity, bio-entrepreneurs can become key actors in conservation and poverty alleviation.

GBF Workshop Session on "Verifying Biodiversity Trade"

GBF Summary

GBF - IUCN Press Release

High-level dinner hosted by CAN: 25 March 2006

Further to BioTrade side events, the Andean Community (CAN), presented the progress on its Andean Biodiversity Strategy, supported the National BioTrade Programmes of Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Boilvia. CAN laid on a high-level dinner to showcase Andean-Amazonian delicacies, using fruits such as papa, oca, mashua and olloco, among others. All side events were a great success, creating a platform for dialogue among relevant actors and an opportunity to present the positive results of the BioTrade Initiative and its partners.

CAN Press Release [in spanish]

Biodiversity menu

Photos of the event

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Roundtables & Meetings

Released: May 2007

Private sector engagement in biodiversity-related conventions - special focus on the sector of natural ingredients for the cosmetics and food industries.

Moderators: Lucas Assunção (UNCTAD) & Catherine Cassagne (IFC).

On 11 May 2007, UNCTAD, in cooperation with the International Finance Cooperation (IFC), held a meeting to bring together the Secretariats of MEAs like CITES, CBD and Ramsar and members of the private sector involved in natural ingredients in the foods and cosmetics sector. Discussions and presentations addressed ways in which these conventions can better engage business in this particular sector and, reciprocally, how the private sector could contribute more to the implementation of these Agreements.

[report to come]

Download participants' presentations

Released: June 2006

Responding to the Convention on Biological Diversity in the food, health and cosmetics industries.

Moderator: Mr. Dirk J. Bruinsma, Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD.

On 10 May 2006, the BioTrade Initiative convened a business roundtable with representatives of private companies from developing and developed countries interested in bringing products to the market with social and environmental responsibility. The objective of the roundtable was primarily to listen to companies working in the sector of natural ingredients and discuss the best approaches to meet the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The discussions provided valuable inputs to the work of UNCTAD and partner organisations, giving the private sector a chance to help shape the actions of such organisations.

[english]

Released: September 2006

Business Meeting on the Union for Ethical BioTrade

Moderator: Mr. Lucas Assunção, Climate Change and BioTrade Section Chief , UNCTAD.

On 13 September 2006, the BioTrade Initiative convened a Business Meeting. It discussed the creation of Union for Ethical BioTrade with companies from the cosmetics and health industries

This meeting was a follow-up to previous business round-tables held in Curitiba, Brazil and Geneva, Switzerland, which facilitated discussions between companies from developing and developed countries on the challenges faced when marketing products produced following the BioTrade Principles and Criteria. During these meetings the creation of the idea of the Union for Ethical BioTrade was put forward by the private sector.

[english]

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Workshops

Date: 12-13 December 2006

Location: FUNBIO, Rio de Janeiro

Workshop Report: Sustainable Trade of Arapaima gigas in the Amazon Region

Download workshop report [English] [Spanish]

Date: 14-15 November 2006

Location: UNCTAD, Geneva

MEA Workshop: "Biodiversity and the Global Market Economy"

Download workshop report

Download Concept Note