Matters relating to the financial mechanism and resources

The Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety ,

Recalling Article 28 of the Protocol,

Recalling also its decision BS-II/5,

Taking note of the note by the Executive Secretary on matters related to the financial mechanism and resources (UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/3/5),

Recognizing the significance of the role of the Global Environment Facility in the implementation of the Action Plan for Building Capacities for the Effective Implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety ,

Appreciative of the information documents (UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/3/INF/12 and UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/3/INF/13) from the Global Environment Facility and updates provided by its representatives,

Aware that the Council of the Global Environment Facility has adopted a new system of allocating resources to countries in the focal areas of biodiversity and climate change, known as the Resource Allocation Framework,

Realizing that the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity did not provide guidance on the development of the Resource Allocation Framework,

Concerned about the implications of the Resource Allocation Framework in limiting the allocation of resources to developing countries, in particular the least developed and the small island developing States amongst them, and countries with economies in transition, to support the development of national biosafety frameworks and the building of biosafety capacity for implementation,

Understanding that all countries need to put in place at least a base level of capacity to implement the Protocol and that such a requirement is not part of the criteria of the Resource Allocation Framework,

Recognizing that guidance to the Global Environment Facility for consideration of the Conference of the Parties should be incorporated into this decision, based upon the outcomes of negotiations under other agenda items of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,

1. Notes with appreciation that the biosafety-related activities financed by the Global Environment Facility have helped foster the ratification and implementation of the Protocol;

2. Notes also the recommendations made by the Evaluation Office of the Global Environment Facility in the document entitled "Report of the Evaluation of GEF Support for Biosafety" (UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/3/INF/12), and urges the Global Environment Facility to implement those recommendations in a timely manner;

3. Urges the Global Environment Facility to expeditiously finalize, approve and implement the biosafety strategy based on the elements suggested in the document entitled "Elements for a Biosafety Strategy" (UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/3/INF/13), taking into account the guidance from the Conference of the Parties that incorporates elements of this decision;

4. Requests the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to seek an assurance from the Global Environment Facility that the introduction of the Resource Allocation Framework will not in any way jeopardize eligible Parties' access to funding for biosafety-related activities including regional activities where appropriate;

5. Urges donor Parties and Governments to substantially replenish the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund, taking account of the need for adequate and predictable funding for supporting developing countries, in particular the least developed and the small island developing States amongst them, and countries with economies in transition, to implement the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

6. Requests also that the Conference of the Parties at its eighth meeting consider providing the following guidance to the financial mechanism:

1. Requests the Global Environment Facility to base their allocation of resources to support the implementation of the Protocol on country needs and priorities, and as a priority to support the establishment of a base level of capacity in all eligible developing country Parties, in particular the least developed and the small island developing States amongst them, and Parties with economies in transition;

2. Urges the Global Environment Facility to support in-country, regional and sub-regional stock-taking studies to enable:

(a) The better planning and customizing of future assistance to the respective needs of eligible countries, given the fact that a "one-size-fits-all" approach to biosafety has been demonstrated to be inappropriate;

(b) The identification of clear and realistic targets;

(c) The identification and provision of technical and adequately experienced expertise for the implementation of national biosafety frameworks;

(d) The development of effective coordination which facilitates the support, ownership and involvement of all relevant national ministries and authorities, to ensure synergy and continuity;

"3. Requests the Global Environment Facility to support:

(a) The provision of longer-term support for building, consolidating and enhancing sustainable human resource capacity in risk assessment and risk management, and also in developing detection techniques for identifying living modified organisms;

(b) Awareness-raising, public participation and information sharing, including through the Biosafety Clearing-House;

(c) Coordination and harmonization of national biosafety frameworks at regional and sub-regional levels, where appropriate;

(d) Sustainable national participation in the Biosafety Clearing-House, including registration of information with the central portal of the Biosafety Clearing-House of the Protocol;

(e) Transfer and joint development of technology in risk assessment, risk management, monitoring and detection of living modified organisms;

(f) Development and implementation of national biosafety frameworks;

(g) Development of technical, financial, and human capacity including postgraduate education, biosafety-related laboratories and relevant equipment;

(h) Implementation of the revised Action Plan for Building Capacities for the Effective Implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;

(i) Facilitation of the consultative information-gathering process leading to the preparation of national reports under the Protocol."

7. Further requests that, in considering the above guidance to the financial mechanism, the Conference of the Parties at its eighth meeting also take into account paragraph 8 of decision BS-III/2, paragraph 4 of decision BS-III/3, paragraph 9 of decision BS-III/4, and paragraph 6 of decision BS-III/14.