Why is this relevant?

All businesses, irrespective size, sector and location, ultimately depend on biodiversity. Whilst businesses can have a major direct and indirect impact on biodiversity, they also possess biodiversity relevant knowledge, technical resources and managerial skills. In turn, how companies manage biodiversity is, increasingly, seen as relevant to their bottom line performance.

Business under the Convention

Business is explicitly referred to in the Convention text (i.e. in articles 10 and 16), in many COP decisions adopted over the years, and in the Convention’s Strategic Plan. Many of the Convention's Programmes of Work are directly relevant to business.

At its eighth meeting (Curitiba, Brazil, 20-31 March 2006), the Conference of the Parties reiterated the importance of engaging the business community in the implementation of the Convention. Decision VIII/17, the first to focus exclusively on business, covers the engagement of Parties with the business community when developing and implementing national biodiversity strategies and action plans; the participation of business in Convention processes; the compilation, dissemination and strengthening of the ‘business case’ for biodiversity; and the compilation and development of good biodiversity practice.

A growing agenda

Since COP-8, the business and biodiversity agenda has been receiving an increasing amount of attention. It has been included, for instance, in the Potsdam initiative (March 2007), the Biodiversity Communication of the European Commission (May 2006) and the Biodiversity Agenda of the EU Presidencies of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia (November 2007).

The Lisbon Declaration was also adopted in November 2007, as an outcome of the High Level Conference on Business and Biodiversity, organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union (EU) Council. In preparation to COP-9, Germany also hosted, in April 2008, a conference on business and biodiversity.

Pursuant to Decision VIII/17, the Secretariat has, in particular, compiled information on the 'business case' for biodiversity as well as good practice guidance in a range of sectors. Since October 2006, the Secretariat has also published a newsletter on business and biodiversity to accompany the implementation of decision VIII/17.

For a more detailed overview of business and biodiversity since COP-8, see document UNEP/CBD/COP/9/21/Add.1.

Business at COP-9

At COP-9, business engagement was discussed as part of agenda item 4.13 (Cooperation with Other Conventions, International Organizations and Initiatives and Engagement of Stakeholders). To this effect, the Secretariat has prepared document UNEP/CBD/COP/9/21/Add.1. The latter (1) outlines the development of the ‘business and biodiversity’ agenda since the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties; (2) provides an overview of efforts by Parties and organizations in implementing decision VIII/17; (3) reports on the business related activities undertaken by the Executive Secretary over 2006-2008; (4) proposes a framework for priority actions on business for 2008-2010; and (5) includes a draft decision.

Business engagement is relevant to many other issues discussed at COP-9. In particular, issues for in-depth consideration at the COP consisted of: Agricultural biodiversity; Global Strategy for Plant Conservation; Invasive alien species; Forest biodiversity; Incentive measures; Ecosystem approach; Progress in the implementation of the Strategic Plan and progress towards the 2010 target and relevant Millennium Development Goals; and Financial resources and the financial mechanism (see annotated agenda).

In addition, many initiatives, projects and publications were showcased in Bonn -- including the German Business and Biodiversity Initiative. Click here for more information on COP-9.

The next issue of the Secretariat's business newsletter will focus on business implications of COP-9.