BioTrade Congress
"Biodiversity - The Life of the Green Economy"
18 June 2012 - 08:30 to 19:00
Novo Mundo Hotel
BioTrade is one of the promising green economic sectors where
developing countries have demonstrated a leadership role. BioTrade is the type
of trade that supports biodiversity objectives while providing a source of
income for local development.
Sixteen years after UNCTAD launched the BioTrade Initiative with the aim of promoting
trade and investment in biodiversity as a means of furthering sustainable development,
a number of countries, regions and national and international stakeholders have
made remarkable progress in embracing BioTrade concepts and principles as integral
parts of their strategies. Furthermore, BioTrade is being recognized as a tool
to address poverty alleviation and to support sustainable livelihoods in developing
countries.
Recognising that BioTrade is one of the pillars for achieving biodiversity conservation,
sustainable use as well as post-conflict reintegration efforts, the First Global
BioTrade Congress was conceived as a platform where BioTrade and biodiversity
stakeholders could share their experiences and lessons learned, and establish
further cooperation in implementing sustainable practices on the path to "greening" biodiversity-based
sectors.
Opening
the Congress, UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi noted that "BioTrade
is spreading the benefits of trade to those corners of the world where the
international trade system has not yet arrived. The domestic and international
sales by businesses in this sector has reached 2.3 billion USD, showing a 14%
annual growth rate, allowing sustainable use while putting capital back into
our ecosystems.”
For BioTrade businesses to move from a sum of niche markets to a worldwide consolidated
green sector, adequate policies, rules, and market incentives need to be in place.
Mr. J. Scanlon, Secretary General of CITES, indicated that “CITES is an
example of how effectively regulated trade cannot only ensure maintenance of
current levels of species populations but also to promote their growth, as the
skin reptile trade has evidenced with sales estimated at 3 billion USD annually."
BioTrade is one of the pillars for the implementation and fulfilment of CBD (Convention
on Biological Diversity) objectives and its Aichi targets. Current BioTrade programmes,
experiences and lessons need to be gathered and strategically used in order to
scale up sustainable practices. “It is time to go from policy discussion
to implementation of CBD commitments and targets as shown by the BioTrade UNCTAD,
one of the earlier implementing partners of the CBD," said Mr. Braulio Diaz
of the CBD Secretariat.
But can BioTrade bring more that sustainable use and economic growth? A recently
launched UNCTAD-UNDP partnership is exploring how to use BioTrade as a tool for
sustaining security and local livelihoods in post-conflict reconstruction efforts
in countries such as Colombia and Indonesia. Mrs. Sigrid Kaag of the UNDP expressed
the view that "value chains enhancement can support the integration of those
excluded by conflict while providing them with an economic and sustainable way
out."
Speakers expressed appreciation for the long-standing support of Switzerland
for the consolidation and expansion of BioTrade programmes worldwide. Mr. Hans-Peter
Egler of SECO restated the Swiss commitments toward promoting open markets and
enabling environments that facilitate a higher presence of BioTrade products
from developing countries in international markets.
In addition to the support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs,
the Congress received support from the Natural Resources Stewardship Circle (NRSC).
Additional partners included the Andean Community General Secretariat, International
Trade Centre (ITC), Colombian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development,
Peruvian Ministry of Environment, PhytoTrade Africa, Union of Ethical BioTrade,
and the Bureau of Crisis Prevention and Recovery of the UNDP.
REGISTRATION - By invitation only, if interested, please contact Ms. Alejandra
Maruri at Alejandra.maruri@unctad.org
Documents
Links
BioTrade Congress website
BioTrade Initiatve website
Partners
