Cartagena Protocol on Cartagena Protocol on BiosafetyBiosafety

Secretariat of the Convention on Biological DiversitySecretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

ContentsContents

Part 1:Part 1:

What is the Protocol on Biosafety? What is the Protocol on Biosafety?

Part 2:Part 2:

How does the Protocol work?How does the Protocol work?

Part 3: Part 3:

What can you do?What can you do?

Part 4:Part 4:

ConclConclusionusion

II

PART 1: PART 1:

What is the Protocol on What is the Protocol on Biosafety? Biosafety?

• An agreement between different countries• Created as an additional agreement to the

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)• Agreed in January 2000 • Started to have legal Force: September

2003• 170 countries joined the agreement so far • 7 main meetings of the governing body to

date• Next COP-MOP: 4 December 2016 - 17

December 2016, Los Cabos, Mexico

GoalGoal

To To promote environmental safety in promote environmental safety in import-export of import-export of living modified living modified organisms (LMOs)organisms (LMOs) that are produced that are produced through mthrough moderodernn techniques of techniques of biotechnologybiotechnology..

BiotechnologyBiotechnology10,000 10,000 years years ago ago • For example, tFor example, traditional fermentation raditional fermentation techniques techniques

used used to make bread or cheese or traditional animal to make bread or cheese or traditional animal and plant breeding techniques. and plant breeding techniques.

35 years ago - Modern Biotechnology35 years ago - Modern Biotechnology• Researchers can Researchers can take a single gene from a plant or take a single gene from a plant or

animal cell animal cell or from a bacteria or from a bacteria and insert it in and insert it in another plant or animal cellanother plant or animal cell in a manner that was in a manner that was not known in traditional breedingnot known in traditional breeding. .

+ + Promises:Promises: Improved Improved aagriculture and griculture and mmore ore ffoodoodExample: Crops tolerant to water shortages and some diseases

-- Concerns:Concerns: Possible Possible lloss of oss of bbiodiversity and iodiversity and haharm to rm to hhuman uman hhealth ealth Example: May result in undesired changes in the existing biodiversity.

== Biosafety: Efforts to reduce the possible risks from Efforts to reduce the possible risks from modern biotechnology and its products.modern biotechnology and its products.

You can have You can have LMOsLMOs in in the form of: the form of:

• Seeds Seeds or or live fish live fish

• GGrains rains likelike corn orcorn or canola canola

• Micro-organisms likeMicro-organisms like bacteriabacteria used in used in laboratory or for other purposeslaboratory or for other purposes

Objective: Safe Transfer, Handling and Use of LMOsObjective: Safe Transfer, Handling and Use of LMOs

Sharing Information Online in the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH) Sharing Information Online in the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH)

Building Capacity in Developing CountriesBuilding Capacity in Developing Countries

Systems to Help Countries:Systems to Help Countries:

PART 2:PART 2:How does the Protocol work?How does the Protocol work?

Exporters inform importers and then importers take informed decisionsExporters inform importers and then importers take informed decisions

•Assess if the plants or anmials developed domestically or introduced into their territory pose any risk to the environment or health.

•Make sure that LMOs shipped from one country to another are safely handled, transported and packaged. • International shipments of LMOs must come with documents that clearly identify the contents of the shipment.•Provide or share with other countries information on and experience with LMOs.

PART 3:PART 3:

What can you do?What can you do?LearnLearn about biosafety about biosafety• Visit biosafety website and its Biosafety Clearing-Visit biosafety website and its Biosafety Clearing-

House (BCH)House (BCH)• Join the RSS on BiosafetyJoin the RSS on Biosafety• Learn about Learn about the the LMOs LMOs that may be that may be in your in your

country country • Learn why biosafety is importantLearn why biosafety is importantHelp Take Action to Make Sure there is BiosafetyHelp Take Action to Make Sure there is Biosafety• Inform othersInform others• Contact your countries focal pointContact your countries focal pointss, journalists, , journalists,

nongovernmental organizations and businessesnongovernmental organizations and businesses• Discuss with your Discuss with your teachers teachers on the possible on the possible

development and use development and use educational toolkitseducational toolkits on on biodiversity and biosafetybiodiversity and biosafety

• Create a factsheet Create a factsheet iin your languagen your language for use by for use by your communityyour community

• Create a youth Create a youth biodiversity and biosafety biodiversity and biosafety network to exchange informationnetwork to exchange information

One Way to Take Action:

Celebrate the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity in 2011-2020

Highlight what biosafety has done to protect biodiversity

The Protocol has contributed to the 2010 Target as it has prevented loss of biodiversity

PART 4: PART 4:

ConcluConclusionsion• Living organisms are made up of Living organisms are made up of genetic genetic

materials.materials. Scientists have found a way to Scientists have found a way to take take genes genes from some species and insert them into from some species and insert them into other species to find new varities or breeds of other species to find new varities or breeds of plants or animals. plants or animals.

• Some people see modern biotechnology as a Some people see modern biotechnology as a way to have more food around the world. The way to have more food around the world. The new technology can solve the need for food, but new technology can solve the need for food, but it it can also can also cause cause some problems. some problems. These potential These potential problems need to be studied carefully.problems need to be studied carefully.

• It is important to make sure that LMOs have no It is important to make sure that LMOs have no negative effects on biological diversity and negative effects on biological diversity and human health.human health.

• The Protocol The Protocol has has requirements requirements that contribute to that contribute to ensuring safety in the use of biotechnologyensuring safety in the use of biotechnology. It is . It is liklikee a textbook that explains how a textbook that explains how countries countries should turn goals into action. should turn goals into action.

Biosafety is an issue for everyone. Every individual,

inlcuding youth, has a responsibility and a role to

play in making sure that LMOs do not negatively affect

biodiversity and human health

Further InformationFurther Information

Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD)Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD)413 Saint-Jacques Street, suite 800413 Saint-Jacques Street, suite 800

Montreal, QuebecMontreal, QuebecCanada H2Y 1N9Canada H2Y 1N9

Tel.: +1 (514) 288-2220Tel.: +1 (514) 288-2220Fax: +1 (514) 288-6588Fax: +1 (514) 288-6588

E-mail: E-mail:

secretariat@cbd.int

Protocol website: Protocol website: www.cbd.int/biosafety

Biosafety Clearing-House: Biosafety Clearing-House: http://bch.cbd.int/

Visit the Youth Guide to Visit the Youth Guide to BiodiversityBiodiversity

-Biosafety and Agriculture -Biosafety and Agriculture sectionsection

http://www.cbd.int/youth/http://www.cbd.int/youth/