Closed Consultation

ENGO participation in Convention on Biological Diversity Outreach and Education Strategizing Sessions

When: March 2008

The RCEN was invited by Environment Canada to select seven (7) lead ENGO groups in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax respectively to participate in the development of an outreach and education strategy leading up to the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP9) from May 19-30 2008 and the International Biodiversity Day (IBD) on May 22, 2008.

The selected ENGO delegates are as follows:

• Vancouver Delegate
  Josh Brandon, Greenpeace Canada, BC
• Edmonton/Calgary Delegate
  Sarah Hipkin, Land Stewardship Centre of Canada, AB
• Winnipeg Delegate
  Samantha Mutchmor, Coalition to Save the Elms, MB
• Montreal Delegate and Backgroud Documentation Writer
  Olivier Kolmel (kolmel-at-gmail.com), RNCREQ - Regroupement national des conseils régionaux de l'environnement du Québec, QC
• Ottawa Delegate and Background Documentation Reviewer
  Lucy Sharratt, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN), ON
• Toronto Delegate
  Leslie Adams, Protect Our Water and Environmental Resources, ON
• Maritimes Delegate
  Gabrielle Kretzschmar, New Brunswick Partners in Agriculture, NB

The selected alternate delegates are:

• Western Canada
  Maria Castro, Rare Breeds Canada/ Beyond Factory Farming Coalition, BC
• Central Canada
  Larry McDermott, Plenty Canada, ON
• Quebec
  Boris Romaguer, Ambioterra, QC
• Eastern Canada
  Jean Paul L'Italien, Comité en développement durable du Nord-ouest du Nouveau-Brunswick, NB

Reports

RCEN CBD Background Document - ENGO Perspective

RCEN CBD Outreach and Education Strategy Report

Background Information
The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was negotiated with a view to mitigate biodiversity loss on a global scale. The CBD, which was implemented on December 29, 1993, now includes 189 Parties (188 nations and the European Community). The Conference of the Parties of the CBD chose to establish the CBD Secretariat in Montreal.

The objectives of the Convention are biodiversity conservation, the sustainable use of biological resources, and the equitable sharing of benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. Within the framework of the Convention, Parties address various aspects of biodiversity. The CBD focuses its analyses and activities around ecosystems, and particularly forest, arid lands and marine ecosystems. Some of the main issues tackled by the CBD include the study of the Convention’s application; protected areas; biosecurity; exotic invasive species; and access and benefit sharing of genetic resources.  

The United Nations named May 22 the “International Day of Biodiversity” (IBD) as a way to build public awareness about the world’s many biodiversity-related problems. The CBD Secretariat chose “agricultural biodiversity” as the theme for IBD 2008.

For additional details, visit the following websites:

Convention on Biological Diversity
Environment Canada’s Canadian Biodiversity Information Network
Canadian Environmental Network (to read the ENGO delegate report from COP-8) 

For more information, please contact Monique Lefebvre, RCEN National Caucus Coordinator, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 235.