UPSC Civil Services Exam: CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY (CPB)

Wednesday, August 03, 2016

CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY (CPB)

India is a party to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity signed at Rio de Janeiro on the 5th day of June, 1992 which came into force on the 29th December, 1993. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB), the first international regulatory framework for safe transfer, handling and use of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) was negotiated under the aegis of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The protocol was adopted on 29th January 2000. With Palau acceding to the Protocol, the required number of 50 instruments of ratification /accession /approval /acceptance by countries was reached in May 2003. The Protocol entered into force on 11 September 2003. Currently 169 countries are Parties to the Protocol.

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB), the first international regulatory framework for safe transfer, handling and use of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) was negotiated under the aegis of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The protocol was adopted on 29th January 2000. With Palau acceding to the Protocol, the required number of 50 instruments of ratification /accession /approval /acceptance by countries was reached in May 2003. The Protocol entered into force on 11 September 2003. Currently 169 countries are Parties to the Protocol.

The objective of the Protocol is to contribute to ensuring an adequate level of protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health, and specifically focusing on transboundary movements.

The Protocol promotes biosafety by establishing rules and procedures for the safe transfer, handling, and use of LMOs. It includes Advance Informed Agreement (AIA) procedures for imports of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment, and also incorporates the precautionary approach, and mechanisms for risk assessment and risk management. The Protocol establishes a Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH) to facilitate information exchange, and contains provisions on capacity building and financial resources, with special attention to developing countries and those without domestic regulatory systems The Protocol attempts to reconcile the respective needs of trade and environmental protection in the light of rapidly growing biotechnology industry. The Protocol addresses the obligations of Parties in relation to the transboundary movements of LMOs to and from non-Parties to the Protocol.

September 11, 2013 marked the 10th anniversary of the Biosafety Protocol. To commemorate the achievements during this period, celebrations were held all over the world. The theme for the anniversary was “10 Years of Promoting Safety in the Use of Biotechnology”. The Secretariat to CBD has developed a series of short video clips from representatives of Parties and relevant organizations highlighting some of the successes and lessons learned with regard to the implementation of the provisions of the Protocol. The video clip and other information about the activities organized to celebrate the event can be accessed at: http://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2013/ntf-2013-072-bs-en.pdf.

The main function of the governing body of the Protocol known as the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention serving as the Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the Protocol i.e. COP-MOP is to review the implementation of the Protocol and make decisions or provide necessary guidance to promote its effective operation. Till date seven meetings of COP-MOP have been convened. India hosted the sixth meeting at Hyderabad from 1-5th October 2012