Noting the report of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Socio-economic Considerations,
9
Recalling paragraph 1 of Article 26 of the Protocol,
Recognizing that socio-economic considerations referred to in paragraph 1 of Article 26 are those arising from the impact of living modified organisms on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, especially with regard to the value of biological diversity to indigenous and local communities, and are specific to local, national and regional circumstances,
Recognizing also the role and contribution that indigenous and local communities may provide in the development of conceptual clarity on socio-economic considerations,
1.Decides to extend the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Socio-economic Considerations, subject to the availability of funds;
2.Also decides that the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Socio-economic Considerations should work, in a stepwise approach, on: (i) the further development of conceptual clarity on socio-economic considerations arising from the impact of living modified organisms on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking into account and improving upon the “Elements of a Framework for Conceptual Clarity on Socio-Economic Considerations” contained in the annex to the report of the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Socio-economic Considerations, and any information that may be provided through the activities indicated in paragraph (5) below; and (ii) developing an outline for guidance with a view to making progress towards achieving operational objective 1.7 of the Strategic Plan and its outcomes;
3.Requests the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Socio-economic Considerations to submit its report for consideration by the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;
4.Requests Parties and invites other Governments, relevant organizations and indigenous and local communities to submit views and comments on the “Elements of a Framework for Conceptual Clarity on Socio-Economic Considerations” contained in the annex to the report of the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Socio-economic Considerations;
5.Requests the Executive Secretary:
(a)To compile and disseminate information on: (i) policies, laws, regulations and guidelines providing for definitions of socio-economic considerations; and (ii) practical applications of socio-economic considerations in decision-making on living modified organisms, including cases where positive and negative socio-economic impacts have been considered;
(b)To convene online discussion groups to facilitate the exchange of views, information and experiences on socio-economic considerations in the context of paragraph 1 of Article 26 of the Protocol, including concerning: international obligations that may be relevant to socio-economic considerations; socio-economic considerations and the value of biological diversity to indigenous and local communities; environment-related aspects of socio-economic considerations, as well as the relationship, if any, with risk assessment and human health-related issues;
(c)To compile and prepare a synthesis of the views and comments referred to in paragraph 4 above for consideration by the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Socio-economic Considerations;
(d)To commission, subject to the availability of funds, a study on international agreements that may have relevance to socio-economic considerations as provided for in Article 26 of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and to make the report available on the Biosafety Clearing-House;
6.Invites development partners to support capacity-building activities on socio-economic considerations as specified in paragraphs 2 (n) and (o) of
decision BS-VI/5 (appendix II of
decision XI/5 of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity).
