BioTrade Initiative of UNCTAD became an Affiliate Partner of the
2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (2010 BIP)

On 16 April 2010, the BioTrade Initiative of UNCTAD became an Affiliate Partner of the 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (2010 BIP). This global initiative tracks progress towards achieving the 2010 Biodiversity Target to significantly reduce the rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national levels by 2010. To do so, it develops global biodiversity indicators and information on the trends of biodiversity.

As an Affiliate Partner, the BioTrade Initiative will be involved in the discussions and collaborate, as appropriate, on the review and development of the 2010 BIP indicators. Furthermore, UNCTAD will contribute with its experience in the development and implementation of the BioTrade Impact Assessment System.

For more information on the 2010 BIP: please visit www.twentyten.net

BioTrade Potential for Growth and Sustainability
7 April 2010, Geneva Switzerland

The informal brainstorming session on the BioTrade Potential for Growth and Sustainability brought together a group of experts and negotiators with unique perspectives on biodiversity, trade and intellectual property rights (IPRs) to discuss opportunities and challenges for its advancement in Latin America and the Caribbean. Representatives of several Permanent Missions of the Latin American and Caribbean region and other international experts participated in the event.

The workshop was organized in the framework of a regional initiative entitled “Biodiversity and Ecosystems: Why these are Important for Sustained Growth and Equity in Latin America and the Caribbean”, which is currently being implemented by UNDP in association with UNEP, ECLAC and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

The event, organized by the BioTrade Initiative of UNCTAD and the Regional Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean of UNDP, provided a platform in obtaining valuable inputs to the UNDP team in preparing the regional biodiversity report.

For more information:
Agenda
Description of UNDP Regional Initiative and UNCTAD BioTrade Initiative

Biodiversity makes UNCTAD fashionable

At the initiative of UNCTAD, through its BioTrade Initiative and its Creative Economy and Industries Programme, and of the Hong-Kong-based NGO Green2Greener more than 500 people met in Geneva on 20-21 January to call for action against the rapid loss of the world’s biodiversity.

The participants were prominent figures from government, international organizations, and the fashion and cosmetics industries This occurred on the event of a two-day seminar entitled Redefining Sustainability in the International Agenda: Inspiring Greater Engagement in Biodiversity Issues. This was followed by the Ecochic Geneva Fashion Show and the 1.5 weeks exhibition of Eco-Fashion products at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

As the United Nations General Assembly declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity, this event provides a timely spotlight on their ability to redefine the concept of excellence in a way that goes beyond traditional economic aspects to integrate social and environmental elements more.....

BioTrade activities with Natural Ingredients in Vietnam

Vietnam is rich in biodiversity and the government has been working on issues related to its conservation and sustainable use, specifically, in the natural ingredients sector. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has developed the Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) Conservation and Development Strategy 2006-2020. Moreover, the Prime Minister approved the Forest Protection and Development Strategy 2006-2020, which includes specific targets to promote NTFP production.

Building on the previous work done by UNCTAD BioTrade and the Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO) for the sustainable trade in natural ingredients, the working meeting on "BioTrade activities with Natural Ingredients in Vietnam" in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 25 March 2009 was organized. The event provided a platform to present and validate the BioTrade project to national stakeholders for their comments and inputs as well as to identify possible areas of cooperation and synergies. It brought together over thirty national and international stakeholders from the government and civil society working in Vietnam with non-timber forest products, natural ingredients and/or on development issues. To download the meeting proceedings, please click here.

Novel Food

UNCTAD BioTrade participated in the Vitafoods Discussion Forum on 7 May 2009 in Geneva, on the occasion of the Vitafoods International, the leading nutraceuticals exhibition in the world. UNCTAD presented the work it has been leading on the conceptual development of how developing countries could profit from the proposed simplified procedure for traditional foods through the recognition of traditional knowledge and informal scientific data as part of the history of safe use assessment in the novel food regulations. UNCTAD is currently assisting the European Union in the development of guidelines for assessing food safety on the basis of it history of safe use.

BioTrade Impact Assessment System (BT IAS)

Since 2006, UNCTAD has been working towards the development of an Impact Assessment System for BioTrade. The proposed system was enriched with consultations from BioTrade programmes, certification agencies, government representatives, cooperation agencies, NGOs and experts in South America and Africa (i.e. workshop in Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa). As a result of the consultations, a new version of the Impact Assessment System was proposed and is currently being tested in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Uganda, and in Namibia and Swaziland through PhytoTrade Africa. A revised version taking into account feedback received and the results of the field testing is forthcoming.

Incentive measures

In implementing CBD's Decisions VII/26, IX/6 and IX/26 (link to decisions), UNCTAD BioTrade works on:
- compiling private sector experiences and incentive measures promoted by BioTrade practitioners, that aim to disseminate best practices for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (project brief); and
- the relationship with international legal obligations under WTO rules of economic incentive measures (project brief).