Information

1. Decides to adopt the medium-term programme of work for the period 1996 to 1997 contained in the annex to the present decision;

2. Also decides to review at its next meeting the medium-term programme of work in light of the progress achieved in the implementation of the Convention;

3. Requests the Executive Secretary to prepare the draft provisional agenda of the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties, pursuant to rules 8 and 9 of the rules of procedure, and include therein all issues arising from its previous meetings and for which actions are required by the Conference of the Parties.

1. The medium-term programme of work will be constructed on the basis of standing and rolling issues.

2. Standing items will include, inter alia:

2.1 Matters relating to the financial mechanism, including a report from the interim institutional structure entrusted with its operation;

2.2 Report from the Secretariat on the administration of the Convention and budget for the Secretariat;

2.3 Report from, instructions to and consideration of recommendations from the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA);

2.4 Reports by Parties on implementation of the Convention;

2.5 Report on assessment and review of the operation of the clearing-house mechanism;

2.6 Relationship of the Convention on Biological Diversity with the Commission on Sustainable Development and biodiversity-related conventions, other international agreements, institutions and processes of relevance.

3. The other issues and derived activities necessary to implement the Convention should be dealt with on a year-by-year agenda, on the understanding that these relevant rotating issues will be developed and continually dealt with in accordance with the decisions of the Conference of the Parties by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and any eventual working groups appointed by the Conference of the Parties. The year-by-year agenda has to be flexible.

4. Treatment of the items on the programme of work should also reflect the importance of capacity-building as one of the elements of successful Convention implementation. The programme of work should always reflect a balance among the Convention's objectives, as set forth in Article 1.

5. In 1996, the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties may continue to consider pending issues of the 1995 programme of work.

6. The third meeting of the Conference of the Parties may consider, inter alia, the following items in 1996:

6.1 General measures for conservation and sustainable use

6.1.1 Implementation of Articles 6 and 8.

6.2 Identification, monitoring and assessment

6.2.1 To consider options for implementing Article 7; 6.2.2 Appraisal of the SBSTTA review of assessment of biological diversity for the implementation of Article 25(2)(a) and advice on methodologies for future assessments.

6.3 Conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biological diversity

6.3.1 To consider agricultural biological diversity within the context of the Convention's three objectives and its provisions; 6.3.2 To consider a report on progress under the FAO Global System for the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

6.4 Consideration of the future programme of work for terrestrial biological diversity in the light of the outcome of deliberations of the third session of the Commission on Sustainable Development in 1995

6.5 Knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities

6.5.1 Implementation of Article 8(j).

6.6 Access to genetic resources

6.6.1 To consider the compilation of views of Parties on possible options for developing national legislative, administrative or policy measures, as appropriate, to implement Article 15.

6.7 Issues related to technology

6.7.1 To consider ways to promote and facilitate access to and transfer and development of technology, as envisaged by Articles 16 and 18 of the Convention.

6.8 Incentive measures

6.8.1 To consider the compilation of information and experiences shared on the implementation of Article 11.

6.9 Special session of the General Assembly to review implementation of Agenda 21

6.9.1 To provide a report from the perspective of the Convention's three objectives.

6.10 Issues related to biosafety

6.10.1 To consider the first report of the ad hoc working group on biosafety.

7. In 1997, the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties may consider, inter alia, the following items:

7.1 Review of medium-term programme of work (1995-1997)

7.1.1 To review the operations of the Conference of the Parties and subsidiary organs; 7.1.2 To undertake an overall review and consider a longer-term programme of work.

7.2 Models and mechanisms for linkages between in-situ and ex-situ conservation

7.2.1 To generate options of models and linkage.

7.3 Measures for implementing the Convention

7.3.1 To provide information and share experiences on the implementation of Article 13; 7.3.2 To provide information and share experiences on the implementation of Article 14; 7.3.3 Consideration of biodiversity under threat.

7.4 Consideration of matters related to benefit-sharing

7.4.1 To consider measures to promote and advance the distribution of benefits from biotechnology in accordance with Article 19; 7.4.2 To be considered in the light of the outcome of item 6.7.1 above.

7.5 Technical and Scientific Cooperation

7.6 Terrestrial biological diversity

To assess the status and trends of the biodiversity of inland water ecosystems and identify options for conservation and sustainable use.