Established in 2010

About MEPIELAN eBulletin

MEPIELAN E-Bulletin is a digital academic and practitioner newsletter of the MEPIELAN Centre, launched in 2010.  It features insight articles, reflective opinions, specially selected documents and cases, book reviews as well as news on thematic topics of direct interest of MEPIELAN Centre and on the activities and role of MEPIELAN Centre. Its content bridges theory and practice perspectives of relational international law, international environmental law and participatory governance , and international negotiating process, thus serving the primary goal of Centre: to develop an integrated, inter-disciplinary, relational, context-related and sustainably effective governance approach creating, protecting and advancing international common interest for the present and future generations. Providing a knowledge- and information-sharing platform and a scholarly forum, the Bulletin promotes innovative ideas and enlightened critical views, contributing to a broader scholarly debate on important issues of international common interest. The audience of the Bulletin includes academics, practitioners, researchers, university students, international lawyers, officials and personnel of international organizations and institutional arrangements, heads and personnel of national authorities at all levels (national, regional and local), and members of the civil society at large.

First Meeting of the Open-Ended Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol (ICNP1), 6-10 June 2011

July 4, 2011

The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization was adopted at the tenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity on 29 October 2010, in Nagoya, Japan. This Protocol aims at further implementing one of the three objectives of the Convention: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources (ABS), thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. It provides a comprehensive legal framework laying down, among others, provisions in relation to access to genetic resources, transfer of relevant technologies, funding, and traditional knowledge associated with generic resources.

The first meeting of the Open-ended Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol on ABS (ICNP1) took place from 6 to 10 June 2011, in Montreal, Canada. The Committee (ICNP) was set up by Parties to the Convention in order to lay the groundwork for the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol. It addressed issues related to capacity-building and development measures in developing countries, the modalities of operation of the ABS clearinghouse, cooperative compliance procedures, and awareness-raising actions on the importance of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.

The meeting brought together over 300 participants from governments, local communities, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, the private sector and scientific communities.  ICNP adopted four recommendations on: capacity-building, awareness-raising, the ABS clearinghouse (phased development, incorporation, submission and management of information, and funding and resource management), and cooperative procedures and institutional mechanisms on compliance (elements and options for procedures and mechanisms).

Given the importance of the issue of the access to genetic resources and their fair benefit-sharing, all delegates, in their concluding remarks, stressed the need for charting the way forward towards the swift entry into force and implementation of the Nagoya Protocol, taking into account the flexible implementation options existed at the national level. A number of delegates expressed their hope that the Protocol will enter into force no later than 10 July 2012 so that the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties, serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol, can be convened back-to-back with the biodiversity summit to be held in Hyderabad, India, in October 2012.

The 2nd Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol ABS (ICNP2) is to be held from 23-27 April 2012 in Delhi, India (tentative). ICNP 2 is mandated to address issues related to guidance for the financial mechanism, the budget for the biennium following the entry into force of the Protocol, guidance for resource mobilisation, rule of procedures for COP/MOP1 and items taken up at ICNP1.

Source: IISD Reporting Services, Convention on Biological Diversity Home Page
For further information:
http://www.iisd.ca/biodiv/icnp1/
http://www.cbd.int/

About the author

MEPIELAN Centre

MEPIELAN Centre is an international research, training and educational centre established by Professor Evangelos Raftopoulos at the Panteion University of Athens in 2008.

Before its establishment as a University Centre, MEPIELAN operated as a successful international research, training and informational programme (2002-2007) under the scientific direction of Professor Evangelos Raftopoulos and the aegis of the Panteion University of Athens, supported by the Mediterranean Action Plan/UNEP and the Greek Ministry of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works.

MEPIELAN Centre is an accredited UNEP/MAP PARTNER (since 2013), a Member of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) (since 2016), and a Member of the Steering Committee of the MCSD (since 2019).

On 22 May 2022, MEPIELAN Centre proceeded to the development of MEPIELAN as a Non- Profit Civil Organization (INGO) for the more effective and efficient advancement of its Goals and Missions and furtherance of its activities. MEPIELAN Centre as a Non- Profit Civil Organization (INGO) is registered in Greek Law (Hellenic Business Registry, Reg. No. 16477300100) in accordance with Laws 4072/2012 & 4919/2022 as applicable

Related artifacts

Climate Change
EU Raises Climate Ambition and Proposes Drastic Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2030

EU Raises Climate Ambition and Proposes Drastic Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2030

On the 17th of September, EU officially entered a new era on its long journey towards achieving the goal of climate neutrality by 2050: The European Commission presented its plan to reduce EU greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, instead of the existing 40%.

Read more text

Climate Change
The 24th Katowice UN Climate Conference: Steps Forward for Implementation

The 24th Katowice UN Climate Conference: Steps Forward for Implementation

The 24th Katowice Climate Change Conference was convened from 2 to 15 December 2018 in Poland and included the three governing bodies of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement. The Katowice Climate Change Conference brought together over 22,000 participants, including government officials, representatives from UN bodies and agencies, intergovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, and media.

Read more text