Submissions due 30 August 2010

 [square brackets] is a newsletter produced jointly by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) (www.cbd.int)  and the CBD Alliance (www.cbdalliance.org).

 The newsletter is meant to facilitate timely dialogue among civil society stakeholders on cutting edge biodiversity issues, from both policy (advocacy and decision-making) and practical (implementation) perspectives. The 3^rd Edition was published just prior to the SBSTTA negotiations in Nairobi (www.cbd.int/doc/newsletters/square-brackets/square-brackets-2009-11.html )

 We invite short articles from members of civil society all over the world (including non-governmental organizations, social movements, Indigenous organizations and representatives, local communities) for the next issue. This will be published on the eve of the 10^th meeting of the CBD COP at Nagoya. The focus of the new issue will be ‘the future of the CBD’, both for the decisions made at COP 10, and beyond. We seek ‘future-oriented’ submissions that look at ways and means to strengthen the future of not only the CBD, but also to expand and deepen its influence in the rest of the multilateral world. 

 Articles will be selected and edited by an editorial board consisting of representatives of Indigenous and non-governmental groups, and staff from the SCBD (see below for details of the Editorial Board).

 Potential contributors are advised to review the guidelines for articles appended below.

 Deadline for submissions is 30 August, 2010

 Please send submissions electronically to both jdempsey@interchange.ubc.ca and johan.hedlund@cbd.int

 Guidelines

 Length: 700-800 words

 Topics: We seek articles that go both inside and outside the ‘box’ of the upcoming COP decisions. Inside the box means relevant interventions on decisions that are going to be made at the COP, and outside the box means articles going beyond, meaning interventions and creative proposals about what the CBD should do, and what its future could hold. Both critical and utopian visions are welcome!

 The COP/MOP agenda can be found here (www.cbd.int/mop5/ and www.cbd.int/cop10/)

 Tone: Articles must be written in a constructive and analytical manner, and contribute to a deeper understanding of the issue.  Contributions must not identify or target particular Parties on issues under negotiation. Opinions are more than welcome, but total coverage of topic in the newsletter will aim to present diverse and balanced viewpoints and arguments that enable the readers to formulate their own informed opinion.

 Editorial board

- Neil Pratt, SCBD

- Jessica Dempsey, CBD Alliance

- Holly Shrumm, Natural Justice

- S Faizi, Indian Biodiversity Forum

- Wally Menne, Timberwatch Coalition

- Maurizio Farhan Ferrari, Forest Peoples Programme

- Lucy Mulenkei, Indigenous Information Network

- John Scott, SCBD

- Ravi Sharma, SCBD

- Makiko Imai, Japan Civil Network for CBD

Concerns relating to CBD Process, Revised Draft Protocol and Indigenous Peoples’ Human Rights

Joint Statement of Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee); Indigenous Peoples of Africa Co-ordinating Committee (IPACC); Saami Council; Kus Kura S.C.; Inuit Circumpolar Council; Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami; Na Koa Ikaika KaLahui Hawaii; First Nations Summit; International Indian Treaty Council (IITC); Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs; Québec Native Women/Femmes Autochtones du Québec; Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations; International Organization of Indigenous Resource Development (IOIRD); Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat; Assembly of First Nations of Québec and Labrador/Assemblée des Premières Nations du Québec et du Labrador; Innu Council of Nitassinan; Indigenous Law Institute; Chibememe Earth Healing Association (CHIEHA); First Peoples Human Rights Coalition; Indigenous World Association; National Association of Friendship Centres; Plenty Canada; Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism; Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy (IPLP) Program - University of Arizona Rogers College of Law; Natural Justice: Lawyers for Communities and the Environment; COMPASS JAPAN; International Institute for Environment and Development (UK); Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers); Center for World Indigenous Studies (CWIS); USC Canada; ETC Group: Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration; Burin Peninsula Environmental Reform Committee

Introduction

1.     We welcome this opportunity to raise our concerns relating to the CBD process and Revised Draft Protocol on access and benefit sharing, as it relates to Indigenous peoples’ human rights and States’ international obligations.

2.     In this context, we emphasize the essential need for revisions to the current text of the draft Protocol.  We propose specific amendments (see para. 94 infra) to ensure that the eventual Protocol will be consistent with the Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

3.     It is urgent to currently address these concerns and proposed revisions, since the intention is to adopt a Protocol on access and benefit sharing at the Conference of the Parties to be held in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010.

Read the whole statement here.

More postings to come on www.undercovercop.org

First ECO here.

The website is ‘the’ central portal for civil society views and news related to CBD negotiations.

 See what civil society groups are demanding, and follow civil society analysis on the negotiations.

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Graphics by Stig

See here.