The high Level Ministerial session at the ongoing International Conference on Bio-diversity, begins today in Hyderabad. This is the last and final phase of the three week long Global Bio-diversity Conference. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will address the plenary session this afternoon, for which Ministers and Heads of state from over 30 countries are attending. The high level Ministerial session will take decisions during its deliberations over the bio-diversity issues including the fund mobilisation for implementing the UN bio-diversity strategic plan and its targets to be achieved by 2020. The Nagoya Protocol over the Access and Benefit Sharing of genetic resources will also be in focus during the summit which will conclude on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Contact Groups set up over fund mobilisation and other key issues, are continuing negotiations with the member countries with eluding consensus even after a week long exercise. The UN Spokesperson David Ainsworth today exuded hope that India as the President of the Convention, will find means and ways to achieve consensus over fund mobilisation. Our correspondent reports that with negotiations continuing between developed and developing countries to achieve consensus over crucial issues like fund mobilisation to accomplish the global biodiversity targets by 2020, the Prime Minister’s address to the member countries this afternoon is expected to give a pace to the ongoing process. Officials are mulling over certain key decisions for him to announce during his address which are expected to show a way out to member countries to arrive at a broad consensus over the standing issues. Regional cooperation for biodiversity conservation may also be emphasised in this direction. As the Environment and Forests Minister Jayanthi Natarajan said in her initial address when the CoP11 began two weeks ago, India has been stressing the need for early decision over fund mobilisation as the member countries left with only eight years to reach the biodiversity goals. The base line for fund rising and the reporting mechanism are among the contentious issues between the developed and developing countries. As a stop gap arrangement, the member countries are also may consider having interim targets first and develop a roadmap for future course of action. -With Suprashanthi Devi, Lakshmi, airnews, Hyderabad.
The Prime Minister will also unveil a Pylon to mark the Global Bio-diversity Meet in Hyderabad, later in the evening. A Bio-diversity Park having about 400 rare and endangered species and a Bio-diversity Museum will be developed in a 15-acre area at a total cost of about 100 crore rupees.