In early 2006, in the lead-up to the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-8) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, I issued a message inviting business to renew its commitment to the objectives of the Convention and to join forces with Parties, the Secretariat and other stakeholders to work towards the 2010 biodiversity target.

A vibrant scene
Business participation in COP-8 was unprecedented, thanks to the efforts of the Brazilian government, as well as that of many business associations. Today, the business and biodiversity scene has never been so vibrant. Germany, Portugal and Slovenia inscribed business in the biodiversity agenda of their Triple Presidency. The Potsdam Initiative — Biological Diversity 2010 (agreed in March by the G8 as well as Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa) contains a business dimension. The European Commission is currently developing a business and biodiversity initiative. Japan is revising its National Biodiversity Strategy, with a focus on business engagement. I would like to thank Mr. Tomioka (Director General, Nature Conservation Bureau) for sharing his thoughts on this important process. Earlier this year, the Secretariat was able to witness first hand the level of enthusiasm for this agenda, from government, conservation groups and business. As a testimony to the growing recognition of biodiversity as a strategic issue, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development has elevated its work on ecosystem services as one of its four ‘focus areas’. Similarly, the UNEP Finance Initiative — which convenes banks, fund managers and insurance companies — recently launched its workstream on biodiversity and ecosystem services. I wish all the success to these pioneering programmes. Celebrating biodiversity day This issue of Business.2010 is released on the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD), which focuses, this year, on climate change. I am grateful to UNFCCC Secretariat for the spirit of collaboration in celebrating this major event. Both secretariats have, more generally, been collaborating closely on a number of issues, including technology transfer, vulnerability and adaptation, and the reduction of emissions from deforestation. COP-8 highlighted the importance of integrating biodiversity considerations into all relevant national policies, programmes and plans to rapidly develop tools for the implementation of biodiversity conservation activities which contribute to climate change adaptation. Thanks to the support of Canada, the Secretariat convened, in March, a series of meetings on biodiversity and climate change, bringing together experts, UN agencies, members of the Bureau and chairs of SBSTTA, and chairs and members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The 12th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-12) will also consider guidance on how to integrate relevant climate change impacts and response activities into the programmes of work of the Convention. Climate change is also receiving unprecedented media coverage, notably in the business press. In parallel, the linkages between climate change and biodiversity are increasingly clear, as articulated by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and, again, in the latest IPCC report. The window for business engagement under the Convention is wide open — but this comes with an expectation that the business community can demonstrate concrete steps towards addressing the current biodiversity challenge Energy and biodiversity Around the world, many initiatives in the interface between business, biodiversity and climate change are underway. A number of these are featured in this issue. The CBD Secretariat launched an electronic discussion forum, in January 2007, on biofuels and biodiversity to gather information in order to prepare for SBSTTA- 12, where the topic will be discussed. A number of articles in this issue contribute to this debate. The energy sector has also been invited to share knowledge on the interlinkages between biodiversity and liquid biofuel production.

Towards COP-9
Last month, I had the immense pleasure of visiting Germany to discuss COP-9 preparations. I would like to pay tribute to the government of Germany in its efforts to ensure that this is a truly historic meeting. I am convinced that Bonn will prove another important milestone for business and biodiversity. There can be no doubt that the engagement of the for profit sector is essential for the implementation of the Convention. Indeed, this was unambiguously stated in the Convention’s landmark Decision VIII/17, the first decision to focus exclusively on business engagement. The window for business engagement under the Convention is wide open — but this comes with an expectation that the business community can demonstrate concrete steps towards addressing the current biodiversity challenge. I therefore reiterate my invitation to the business community to make this demonstration at the next COP.

Ahmed Djoghlaf is Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity.