Having reviewed document
UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/5/5 prepared by the Executive Secretary and the report of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) submitted to the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (
UNEP/CBD/COP/10/6),
Welcoming the policy recommendations for the fifth replenishment of the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF-5) geared towards greater country ownership and improved effectiveness and efficiency of the GEF, including through enhancing accountability to the conventions and streamlining the project cycle,
Taking note of the findings of the mid-term review conducted by the Global Environment Facility Evaluation Office in 2008 (GEF/C.35/Inf.2) and the Fourth Overall Performance Study with respect to the impact of the Resource Allocation Framework on the availability of GEF resources for the implementation of the Protocol,
Noting with concern that the indicative resource envelope for biosafety in the fourth replenishment of the GEF Trust Fund was only partially utilised and that the indicative resource envelope for biosafety in GEF-5 has been reduced,
Recognizing the continuing need for financial resources for the implementation of the Protocol,
1.Welcomes the fifth replenishment of the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund
and expresses its appreciation to the donor countries that made pledges to the Trust Fund;
2.Takes note of the measures undertaken by the Global Environment Facility to further streamline the project cycle for medium-sized and full-sized projects and GEF programmatic approaches during the fifth replenishment period;
3. Urges eligible Parties to give priority to biosafety, as appropriate, when applying for GEF funding against their country allocations under the biodiversity focal area;
4.Recommends to the Conference of the Parties, in adopting its guidance to the Global Environment Facility with respect to support for the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, to urge the GEF to:
(a)Continue to implement all previous guidance to the financial mechanism with respect to biosafety;
(b)Consider, in the context of the replenishment process for GEF-6, supporting the implementation of the Protocol within the System for Transparent Allocation of Resources by defining specific quotas for biosafety for each country, on the basis of the second national reports on the implementation of the Protocol;
(c)Make available, in a timely manner, financial resources to eligible Parties to facilitate the preparation of their second national reports under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;
(d)Expand its support for capacity-building for effective participation in the Biosafety Clearing-House to all eligible Parties to the Protocol and to submit a report for consideration by the sixth meeting of the Parties to the Protocol;
(e)Ensure the inclusion of biosafety-related elements in the terms of reference for national capacity self-assessments and other capacity assessment initiatives carried out with GEF funding;
(f)Ensure that identification requirements of paragraph 2 (a) of Article 18 and related decisions are taken into account in activities carried out with GEF funding;
(g)Ensure that the programme of work on public awareness, education and participation concerning the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms is taken into account in activities carried out with GEF funding;
(h)Make funds available to eligible Parties in a facilitated manner and to monitor, as appropriate, the expeditious accessibility of those funds;
5.Invites developed country Parties to respond to the defined needs of developing country Parties and the Parties with economies in transition for financial and technological resources for the implementation of the Protocol through bilateral, regional and multilateral channels;
6.Invites also Parties to provide, in their national reports, under the section of the reporting format that refers to capacity-building, information on their experience in accessing existing funds from the Global Environment Facility;
7.Requests the Executive Secretary to further explore means for mobilizing additional financial resources for implementation of the Protocol and report to the sixth meeting of the Parties to the Protocol.
