Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
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After years of nearly failing negotiations, and 4 years after it was signed, the First Meeting of Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety finally takes place. During this meeting the framework is set for the future working of the protocol, especially on issues of labelling, liability and compliance.

As before, the Miami group around the USA, Canada and Argentina can easily made out as the bad guys, together with industry organisations like the International Grain Trade Coallition, but some proposals around labelling are just ridiculous.

COP7: Convention on Biodiversity

Some 2500 delegates currently meet in Malaysia to negotiate about how to protect biodiversity and about genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the Biodiversity Convention (CBD) and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

There are numerous open issues and concerns (Summary) like the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, Protected Areas (1 | 2), Technology Transfer, Access and Benefit Sharing, Traditional Knowledge, Biopiracy (1|2), as well as 'smaller' issues like the rights of coastal fishing communities, Terminator seeds/GURTs (video).

Besides the delegates, there are numerous members from NGOs and from Indigenous Peoples organizations, because in contrast to other UN conventions the CBD allows for some relevant participation, even though of course there is a lack of equity, and for the usual side events and actions like the Captain Hook Awards for Biopiracy or the Biodiversity Sale
The main fight has been so far to keep the WTO out of the CBD and to secure the right of Indigenous Peoples in New Zealand.

[ Updates, statements, reports and video interviews from COP7/MOP1 are posted on BiotechIMC | Daily ECO newsletter | ETC group | Third World Network | Biotech Slam Poetry | video interviews: Terminator 1 | Terminator 2 | Technology Transfer | Pesticides| UK environmental minister on GM crops in the UK (1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6) ]

Big Biodiverstity Sale
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To better fit in with the general attitude on biodiversity as commercial good, Friends of the Earth today took the chance to hold a Big Biodiversity Sale at COP7, "wholeheartedly supported by our good friends in the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, UN Environment Program, UN Development Program, the Ramsar Convention, UNCAT, and not to forget: the great godfather of us all: the WTO!"
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English (original) | Castellano

Captain Hook Awards for Biopiracy
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The coalition Against Biopiracy presented the Captain Hook Awards 2004 for Biopiracy.
Among the winners are the Brazilian President Lula for Worst Betrayal, Monsanto, the USA, and the CBD's Bonn Guidelines on Access and Benefit-Sharing
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English (original) | Castellano