Expertise in managing information and technology varies enormously from country to country. For this reason, the Convention on Biological Diversity has established a "Clearing-House Mechanism" (CHM) to ensure that all governments have access to the information and technologies they need for their work on biodiversity.
The term "clearing-house" originally referred to a financial establishment where checks and bills were exchanged among member banks so that only the net balances need to be settled in cash. Today, its meaning has been extended to include any agency that brings together seekers and providers of goods, services or information, thus matching demand with supply.
A Clearing-House Mechanism serves to:
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Promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation within and between countries;
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Develop a global mechanism for exchanging and integrating information on biodiversity; and
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Develop a human and technological network.
The mechanism's key characteristics are:
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Compatibility with different levels of national capacity
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Needs-driven
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Structurally decentralized
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Provides access to information
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Supports decision-making
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Has no vested interest in controlling the expertise or information
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Created for the mutual benefit of all participants
The BCH is an information exchange mechanism which was established by the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety as part of the (CHM).[1] It assists Parties to implement the provisions of the Protocol and to facilitate sharing of information on, and experience with, living modified organisms (LMOs).