What has been done on socio-economic considerations

In accordance with the medium term programme of work adopted by the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol (COP-MOP) (decision BS-I/12), paragraph 2 of Article 26 was considered by the COP-MOP at its second meeting. COP-MOP 2 requested, among other things, Parties and other Governments to provide their views and case studies concerning socio-economic impacts of LMOs (decision BS-II/12) for consideration at the fourth meeting of the Parties. It also invited Parties and other Governments to share information and experiences on socio-economic impacts of LMOs through the Biosafety Clearing-House.

At its fourth meeting, the COP-MOP considered views and case studies concerning socio-economic impacts of LMOs on the basis of submissions from Parties, other Governments and relevant international organizations. COP-MOP 4, in its decision BS-IV/16, invited the next coordination meeting on capacity-building activities to further consider possibilities for cooperation in identifying needs for capacity-building for research and information exchange on socio-economic impacts of LMOs. The recommendations from the coordination meeting are to be submitted for the consideration of the Parties at their fifth meeting. In addition, Parties agreed to review socio-economic issues at their sixth meeting based on information that may be provided through the second national reports.

In 2009, the Division of GEF Coordination of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) collaborated with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity to conduct an online survey on the application of and experience in the use of socio-economic considerations in decision-making on living modified organisms.

At its fifth meeting, the COP-MOP considered the recommendations from the coordination meeting and the survey report by UNEP on the application of and experience in the use of socio-economic considerations in decision-making on living modified organisms. In section IV of decision BS-V/3 on capacity-building (Cooperation on identification of capacity-building needs for research and information exchange on socio-economic considerations), the COP-MOP requested the Secretariat to: (i) convene regional online conferences to facilitate exchange of views, information and experiences concerning socio-economic considerations; (ii) organise a regionally-balanced workshop to analyse the capacity-building activities, needs and priorities, identify options for cooperation in addressing the needs and analyse other relevant information on this issue; and (iii) prepare a report for COP-MOP 6. An Online Portal on Socio-Economic Considerations was created to facilitate the implementation of these requests.

At its sixth meeting, the COP-MOP considered further steps regarding socio-economic considerations. In decision BS-VI/13, the COP-MOP decided to establish an ad hoc technical expert group to develop conceptual clarity in the context of paragraph 1 of Article 26. The group is to submit its report to COP-MOP 7. To assist in the work of the expert group, the Secretariat was requested to compile, take stock of and review information on socio-economic considerations arising from the impact of LMOs on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, especially with regard to the value of biodiversity to indigenous and local communities, and to convene online discussion groups and regional online real-time conferences to facilitate and synthesize the exchange of views, information and experiences on socio-economic considerations.