Sixth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD/COP6)
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CBD/COP 6 : The Hague, 7-19 April 2002 |
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these pages last updated 30 April 2002 |
Sixth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD/COP6)
The sixth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP6) met in The Hague from 7-19 April 2002.
Practical Action (then ITDG) was there, calling on governments to reassert the importance of agricultural biodiversity and take a tough line on the spread of GM crops, patenting, pollution and terminator technologies. This page contains documents and links relevant to the proceedings at CBD/COP6, including daily updates and background to the issues.
Genetic contamination must be addressed at ICCP3 19 April 2002
The contamination of maize in Mexico with genetically modified material demonstates the GM threat to biological diversity.
CSO Statement on Agricultural Biodiversity and the International Seed Treaty (ITPGRFA) presented by Joyce Hambling of GEN 10 April 2002
NGO Statement on Terminator Technologies presented by Hope Shand of ETC Group 10 April 2002
"Biodiversity is not for sale, but nor is it for free. It is priceless":
NGO Statement to CBD/COP6 8 April 2002
At the opening plenary of CBD/COP6 on 8th April 2002, Patrick Mulvany of ITDGPractical Action presented a statement urging the Conference of the Parties to assert the vital importance of biodiversity to the Earth Summit, and to take a tough and clear stance on the spread of GM crops and genetic pollution.
Practical Action (ITDG) briefing paper: CBD must defend the Global Commons
download in Adobe Acrobat format ~17K 
Goverments called to defend the Global Commons April 2002
Practical Action (ITDG) is calling on the Conference of the Parties (COP6) to put agricultural biodiversity, farmers' rights and biosafety at the heart of the Convention on Biological Diversity at their meeting in The Hague.
Practical Action/ITDG's Patrick Mulvany appeared on Biodiversity Radio in The Hague on 11 April, talking about genetic resources and the global commons, terminator technologies and the FAO International Seed Treaty with Alex Wijeratana of Action Aid and Chela Vasquez of IATP. 
Listen to this 33 minute discussion in streaming audio from the UKabc website.
Daily updates
Eco newsletter - issue 1 (8 April 2002) ~210K
Eco newsletter - issue 2 (9 April 2002) ~410K
Eco newsletter - issue 3 (10 April 2002) ~400K
Eco newsletter - issue 4 (11 April 2002) ~300K
Eco newsletter - issue 5 (12 April 2002) ~220K
Eco newsletter - issue 6 (15 April 2002) ~215K
Eco newsletter - issue 7 (16 April 2002) ~170K
Eco newsletter - issue 8 (17 April 2002) ~190K
Eco newsletter - issue 9 (18 April 2002) ~50K
Daily reports from COP6 available from the Earth Negotiations Bulletin
Background and other relevant links
More about the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Conference of the Parties
Convention on Biological Diversity: COP6 official website
Sustaining Life and Livelihoods: The Global Commons
The context of the debate about biological diversity.
Genetic Futures in Food and Farming 27 March 2002
A joint Practical Action/ITDG and UK Food Group Seminar in advance of COP 6 built on the call of Farmers in the CBD's May 2000 meeting in Nairobi to put farmer-centred agricultural biodiversity and genetic resources policies at the centre of the CBD agenda.
Darwin Lecture 2002: The Human Individual and Community in the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Resources, by Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher, Ethiopia. Download from UKabc ~74K
"Biodiversity is not for sale" - see Resistance is Fertile: action, discussion and festivities beside and beyond the UN biodiversity summit
Captain Hook Awards
The Coalition Against Biopiracy's Captain Hook Awards for infamous and outstanding achievements in biopiracy were presented at CBD/COP6. Download a press release (~196K) , a poster listing the "winners" (~289K) and the Cog Awards for Opposing Biopiracy poster (~560K) from the ETC Group website. Patrick Mulvany of Practical Action (then ITDG) was honoured to present the Best (We Can Get) Treaty award to Pepe Esquinas, Secretary to the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, for his indefatigable work over 20 years to secure agreement by the FAO Conference on the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
CBD/COP V
The Global Biodiversity Forum 15 report from the Nairobi COP V:
GBF 15 statement and workshop recommendations ~68K
Full report of GBF 15 ~189K
link: Global Biodiversity Forum