Over 5,000 delegates from around 170 countries gathered at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) on Monday to discuss the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, the status of biodiversity in world’s oceans and reaching the Aichi targets among others.
Declaring open the Conference of Parties-11, Hoshino Kazuaki, representative of environment minister of Japan and Ryu Matsumoto, former environment minister of Japan who chaired the CoP-10, handed over the Presidency of the CoP-11 to Jayanthi Natarajan, minister of environment and forests, government of India.
“While the CoP-10 outcomes are remarkable achievements, there will be no change unless they are implemented. At the CoP-11, we can agree on further measures to overcome challenges that require additional efforts,” said Hoshino Kazuaki. In her opening remarks, Jayanthi Natarajan stressed on the need for collective responsibility by all parties to ensure sustainable living. “Having adopted an ambitious Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, and the Nagoya Protocol on the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), we are now at a critical juncture here at the CoP-11,” she said and added, “Resource mobilization is the most important unfinished agenda we have inherited. Expenditure on biodiversity needs to be looked at as an investment that will reap benefits for us and our future generations.
The present global crisis should not deter us but encourage us to raise nature capital. Let us chart a Hyderabad road map to find a way to make it a better world for us and our children.” She assured that India is fully committed to the cause and also mentioned that the process for ratification of the Nagoya Protocol is currently underway.
Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who was also present at the inaugural, said, “The task before us is to give practical shape and content to an internationally agreed architecture that allows each country to develop according to its national needs, priorities and circumstances.”
Following the inaugural, representatives from across the world began deliberations at a plenary to achieve a consensus on protecting the planet’s biodiversity. Among the issues discussed were marine biodiversity, conserving protected areas, island territories and restoring degraded ecosystems.
During its term from 2012-14, the Indian government will preside over implementation of the work of the Convention, including the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
The meetings will continue till October 19, which also includes a high-level segment.