Biodiversity talks go on as Kan offers $2 bil. to developing states+

NAGOYA, Oct. 27 Kyodo -
Ministers from around the world met Wednesday in Nagoya to discuss how to
combat the loss of biodiversity during the final stage of a U.N. conference
stalled by a rift between developing and developed countries on key issues.
At the opening ceremony of the ministerial segment of the conference that began
Oct. 18, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Japan would use $2 billion over three
years starting this year to help developing countries address biodiversity
loss.
''Today, we are losing the biodiversity of plants and animals in a manner
unprecedented in both speed and scale,'' Kan said, adding that the ''very
existence of human beings on this Earth could be threatened'' as a consequence.
Kan emphasized the need to prevent the ''ongoing mass extinction'' and called
on parties to make ''further efforts'' toward passing on a ''rich and
abundant'' Earth to future generations, saying that Japan is prepared to lead
the world in achieving targets for safeguarding biodiversity expected to be
agreed at the conference.
Japan's pledge to help developing countries meet the targets came as the host
nation is trying to facilitate the finalization of negotiations before the
conference concludes Friday, although the details of how the funds will be
provided remain sketchy.
Tokyo has already announced a plan to set up a 5-billion-yen fund to support
developing countries conserve biodiversity, and provide 1 billion yen of that
amount within the current fiscal year ending March.
Britain also announced a plan to contribute 100 million pounds for forest
conservation while the European Union said it will provide 1 million euros for
marine conservation.
Karl Falkenberg, the European Commission's director general for environment,
said, however, that the European Union did not come to Nagoya with a ''mindset
of a pledging conference,'' and indicated it may not have immediate plans to
boost the amount, saying Europe ''has spent 1 billion euros annually already''
over the past eight years.
The conference of parties to the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity has so
far hit a wall over the division of benefits derived from genetic resources
between the companies exploiting them and the countries of origin, as well as
determining targets for saving biodiversity after 2010.
Ministers and proxies from about 120 states are expected to hold talks over
three days in official sessions, as well as in closed meetings, aimed at
finalizing discussions on major issues, while negotiators continue to work on
overcoming differences.
During the open-ended unofficial ministerial meeting summoned by Japan in the
afternoon, eight delegates were chosen as facilitators for the discussions on
key issues and 17 nations presented their views, according to Japanese
officials.
At the opening ceremony of the ministerial segment, World Bank President Robert
Zoellick said his group plans to increase financing for the conservation of
ecosystems and biodiversity through a wide range of projects, noting that
''conservation and development can go hand in hand.''
A number of other speakers, including Joseph Deiss, president of the General
Assembly of the United Nations, expressed hope that the parties would achieve
success at the conference.
''My hope is that our meeting in Nagoya can help make real progress on this
pressing issue,'' Deiss said, while noting the rapid loss of biodiversity as a
result of human action and how it affects people, especially the poor.
At a reception hosted by Kan shortly after the opening event, the Japanese
leader said while the negotiations could be difficult, he trusts the parties
will be able to work together to overcome the ''high mountain.''
But the outlook for the international meeting remains hazy. An informal
consultative group was set up at the outset of the conference with a mandate to
finalize the draft protocol on access and benefit-sharing in relation to
genetic resources, but it has been unable to conclude its mandate, with the
initial Oct. 22 deadline now extended to Thursday.
Among the major sticking points is whether to make the protocol retroactive to
cover genetic resources previously taken and still used today outside their
countries of origin.
Developing countries, which have abundant natural resources, want a greater
share of the benefits gained by industries that use the resources to develop
medicines and other products through the protocol, while developed nations,
where such industries are often based, want to keep the benefit-sharing to a
minimum without jeopardizing access.
African nations and other developing countries, where resources were seized by
settlers during the colonial era, are seeking to gain a share of the benefits
secured in the past, while developed nations reject such claims.
Setting biodiversity conservation targets for 2020 and 2050 is also a critical
issue that has divided developing and developed nations, with the latter
claiming more ambitious target figures.
Little progress was made on the remaining half of the 20-point plan for
safeguarding biodiversity as of Wednesday evening due to differences over
figures and necessary financing, the officials said.
==Kyodo