Integrated Assessment of Trade Related Policies and Biological Diversity in the Agricultural Sector Relevant work under the CBD Integrated Assessment of Trade Related Policies and Biological Diversity in the Agricultural Sector Relevant work under the CBD Markus Lehmann Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montréal Launch meeting Geneva, 15 July 2005

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 2 CBD Overview 188 Parties; entry into force 29 December 1993 Institutions: Conference of the Parties (COP); COP-7: 9-20 February 2004, Kuala Lumpur Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) Open-ended Working Groups; other ad-hoc bodies as necessary Secretariat Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; 119 Parties; entry into force 11 September 2003 COP-MOP 2: June 2005 Compliance Committee

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 3 CBD Overview Objectives Conservation of biological diversity Sustainable use of its components Fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 4 CBD Overview The 2010 target “to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction in the current rate of loss of biological diversity” Strategic Plan (VI/26, VII/30) Multi-year Programme of Work (VII/31, Annex)

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 5 CBD Overview

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 6 Relevant Provisions Article 7 (c) (Identification and monitoring): Parties to identify processes which have or are likely to have significant adverse impacts on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and monitor their effects Article 14 (b) (Impact assessment and minimizing adverse impacts): Parties to introduce appropriate arrangements to ensure that environmental consequences of programmes and policies with likely significant adverse impacts are duly taken into account

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 7 Work on Impact Assessment Decision VII/7 A endorses draft guidelines on for incorporating biodiversity-related issues into environmental impact assessment legislation and processes, and into strategic impact assessment calls for further development and refinement  Revised guidelines now under review

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 8 Work on Impact Assessment Impacts of trade liberalization Decision IV/6 on agricultural biodiversity requested Secretariat to report on impacts of trade liberalization on the conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity; renewed mandate by COP-6 and COP-7  For COP-6: general report  For COP-7: detailed report on domestic support, report on assessment frameworks

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 9 Work on Impact Assessment Synthesis of assessment frameworks based on questionnaire, examined six frameworks in use: OECD, UNEP, CEC, EC, Canada, U.S. Lead question: to what extent is (agricultural) biodiversity captured in assessment frameworks? Main conclusion: captured to some extent, but more needs to be done

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 10 Work on Impact Assessment Synthesis of assessment frameworks identified need for: indicators better data and data compatibility more conceptual guidance on trade – agriculture – biodiversity relationship

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 11 Work on Indicators Decision VII/30 Provisional framework of goals and targets for assessing progress towards the 2010 target Provisional set of indicators for seven focal areas

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 12 Conclusions 1. Definition of agricultural biodiversity “a broad term that includes all components of biological diversity of relevance to food and agriculture, and all components of biological diversity that constitute the agro- ecosystem: the variety and variability of animals, plants and micro-organisms, at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels, which are necessary to sustain key functions of the agro-ecosystem, its structure and processes” (decision V/5, appendix)”

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 13 Conclusions 2. The multi-faceted nature of the trade – agriculture – biodiversity relationship identify impact channels, potential impacts, and associated indicators 3. Policy choices Recognize that impacts on biodiversity often depend on farming practices, and that these can be influenced by policies

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 14 Suggestions Biodiversity and cultivated systems Inside cultivated systemsOutside cultivated systems Components of production Crops, livestock, aquacultured fishWild food sources Sources of genetic improvement Crops and crop wild relativesCrop wild relatives (also ex situ collections in genebanks and breeders’ collections) Biodiversity providing ecosystem services to agricultural production “Associated biodiversity” including soil biota, natural enemies of pests and pollinators, as well as alternative forage plants for pollinators; alternative prey for natural enemies Alternative forage plants for pollinators etc in the wider landscape Biodiversity that protects water supplies, prevents soil erosion etc. Other biodiversity Other biodiversity including species of conservation / aesthetic interest (eg. Farmland birds) Other wild biodiversity Different definitions of “Agricultural Biodiversity” (Source: MA)

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 15 Suggestions Linking agricultural biodiversity, trade impacts, and indicators Possible impacts of trade (liberalization) Possible indicators Components of production Inside cultivated systems Crops, livestock, aquacultured fish Modernization and harmonization – loss of genetic diversity on farm Genetic diversity Outside cultivated systems Wild food sourcesLand conversion – loss of “weeds” and wild food sources Biodiversity used in food Sources of genetic improvement Crops and crop wild relativesModernization and harmonization – loss of genetic diversity on farm Genetic diversity Biodiversity providing ecosystem services to agricultural production “Associated biodiversity” including soil biota, natural enemies of pests and pollinators, as well as alternative forage plants for pollinators; alternative prey for natural enemies Changing Farming practice – knowledge intensive (IPM) vs use of pesticides etc; Impacts of land conversion, pesticide use etc off-farm Area/products from sustainable management Trends in species abundance Connectivity/fragmentation Water quality Biodiversity that protects water supplies, prevents soil erosion etc. Land conversion; Changing farming practice Other biodiversity Inside cultivated systems Other biodiversity including species of conservation / aesthetic interest (e.g. Farmland birds) Changing farming practiceTrends in species abundance Outside cultivated systems Other wild biodiversityOff farm impacts, e.g. fertilizer/pesticide runoff Trends in habitats Trends in species abundance Nitrogen deposition

UNEP Project – meeting of expert group -- July 2005 – Slide 16 Thank you for your attention!