For Biodiversity...

...work obligations and long held convictions will take me to Pyongchang, South Korea, for the UN Convention of Biological Diversity conference.

Remember Nagoya, 2010?

I feel very fortunate to be able to participate in events like this.

Since the Rio Summit in 1992, it was clear that climate change and biodiversity where among the most pressing issues facing our planet. We need sunshine and rain and food (seeds) and rain and then some certain comforts.

Energy issues - another factor, but the global community never managed to create conventions for that, thus the uncertainty. Imagine - a UN convention for oil. Or a UN convention for energy. Didn't happen.

I have kept working on food safety issues, trying to educate people about seed issue, and the importance of organic farming, and avoiding the massive amounts of antibiotics used for the animals people eat. Plus I try to tell everyone that cares to listen to avoid artificial additives, or colourings, if possible.

But more importantly, just avoid meat.

Massive areas in South America - forests - are used to grow soy beans for animal feed. There is no way we can justify that. Also, massive areas in the oceans are used to catch tuna and other large fish.

Japan is involved in a lot of unsustainable practices, but it also provides a lot of the solutions.

More rice, more soy, more vegetables. More tofu and miso, and we can all enjoy a healthy life.

Less meat, less dairy. It is all connected. You want more fish? That means more farmed salmon, or tuna, or eel, high in fats, and fed on unsustainable diets. The proteins used to farm salmon come from all kinds of unsustainable practices, do take a look, Youtube will help, no doubt... So, reduce your consumption of that. Gradually. As you wish.

Traditionally, Japan did not consume a lot of protein from the oceans.

Many local towns are now trying to get schools to provide more rice and locally produced vegetables, rather than the meals proclaimed by the Tokyo government.

I know, it will take a lot of effort, and I hope a lot of you will support us.

Let's work for biodiversity.

Contact us, I know you want to get involved.

Read more:

Consumers Union of Japan (E)

Japan Citizens' Network for Sustainable Food and Agriculture (J)

COP12-MOP7 Biodiversity for Sustainable Development (Korea) 

東京　TALK & LIVE TOWARDS CBD/COP12 (J)

The Cartagena Protocol is very important. It provides rules that can be useful to protect local biodiversity. Other countries, mainly the U.S. (not part of the CBD) avoid such concerns.

Countries that care about biodiversity are taking the development of rules by the UN seriously.

South Korea:

• Objective: The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is an international agreement on biosafety, as a supplement to the Convention on Biological Diversity. 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 ‘living modified organisms resulting from modern technology’ 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.

History

29 January 2000	3 October 2007	11 September 2003
The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the Protocol	Korea Ratified the Protocol	The protocol entered into force in Korea

Parties

As of June 2014, 166 countries and the European Union.

Main features

• The Advance Informed Agreement (AIA) procedure is to ensure that countries are providing information to make informed decision prior to the import of living modified organisms (LMOs) regarding LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment.
• The procedure for LMOs intended for food or feed, or for processing is to ensure that countries are providing information to make informed decision prior to the import of LMOs regarding these LMOs.
• The Protocol requires Parties to conduct risk assessments on import of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment. These assessments aim at identifying and evaluating the potential adverse effects of LMOs. The Protocol sets out principles and methodologies on how to conduct a risk assessment to for making informed decisions about whether or not to accept LMO imports.
• The Biosafety Clearing-House is established to facilitate the exchange of information on living modified organisms and to assist countries in the implementation of the Protocol.
• Parties must also adopt measures for managing risks identified by the risk assessments.
• Parties can also take into account socio-economic considerations in reaching decisions on import of LMOs.