New and emerging issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity

The consolidated modus operandi of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), adopted by the Conference of the Parties in decision VIII/10, lists among its functions that SBSTTA should inter alia identify new and emerging issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. In decision IX/29 the Conference of the Parties provided guidance on the procedure for the identification of new and emerging issues and on the review of proposals. In accordance with this decision, Parties and relevant organizations are invited after each meeting of the Conference of the Parties to submit proposals on new and emerging issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Proposals for new and emerging issues for consideration by SBSTTA-23 and COP-15

In decision IX/29 the Conference of the Parties provided guidance on the procedure for the identification of new and emerging issues and on the review of proposals. In accordance with this decision, Parties and relevant organizations were invited, through notification 2019-04-09, to submit proposals on new and emerging issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of Biodiversity clearly requesting for the accompanying information specified in paragraph 11 of decision IX/29. The deadline for submissions is 31 May 2019. Submissions are being made available below as they are received.

Proponent	Proposed issue(s)
Burundi	submission contains six elements: Access and Benefit sharing; ecosystem services; strategy to improve the value of traditional knowledge, innovations and practices; post 2020 and other relevant processes; continue discussions on mainstreaming biodiversity into different sectors; and Invasive Alien Species (IAS) for a better coordination among various fora
Brazil	No new and emerging issue
Ecuador	While reiterating continuation of ongoing activities until their completion before taking new ones called for two issues: (i) IPLCs – authorization granted by the legitimate holders of traditional knowledge, with out coercion, intimidation or manipulation to a third party for the access, use in conformity with customary norms and through participatory mechanisms; and (ii) Community Protocols ( Article 12 of the Nagoya Protocol)
Mexico	No new and emerging issue
Moldova	A new CBD Programme of work on the Open air -use of nucleic acids and proteins that may provide risks to biodiversity
Norway	Synthetic biology should be classified as a new and emerging issue for the future work programme s under the Convention
Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid zones and Drylands (ACSAD)	Study of genetic diversity of the different crops, fruit trees, rangeland plants and medicinal and aromatic plants exist in the Arab region
Yves Rocher- an industry	Biodiversity accountability

Review of proposals for new and emerging issues received after COP-13

In accordance with decision IX/29, Parties and relevant organizations were invited to provide, by 15 August 2017, relevant information and views related to the proposals received in response to notification 2017-014 and listed in the box below, taking into account the criteria listed in paragraph 11 of decision IX/29. The following submissions were received in response to notification 2017-054.

Submission from	Date
European Union	31-Jul-17
Japan	04-Aug-17
Canada	11-Aug-17
Global Industry Coalition	11-Aug-17
Japan Bioindustry Association	15-Aug-17
Australia	16-Aug-17
Mexico	17-Aug-17
New Zealand	1-Sep-17

Proposals for new and emerging issues received after COP-13

In decision IX/29 the Conference of the Parties provided guidance on the procedure for the identification of new and emerging issues and on the review of proposals. In accordance with this decision, Parties and relevant organizations were invited, through notification 2017-014, to submit proposals on new and emerging issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The deadline for submissions is 5 May 2017. Submissions are being made available below as they are received.

Proponent	Date	Proposed issue(s)
Australia	28-Feb-17	No new and emerging issue for consideration by SBSTTA at this time
Babagana Abubakar	31-Mar-17	Marine Dust from the Sahara Desert in Africa Nourishing the Mighty Amazon Rainforest of South America
European Union	28-Apr-17	No new and emerging issue for consideration by SBSTTA at this time
Iraq	01-May-17	Environmental and social consequences of forced migration
Peruvian Society for Environmental Law	02-May-17	Lawful Avoidance of ABS: Jurisdiction Shopping and Selection of non-Genetic-Material Media for Transmission
		Spanish version
Canada	05-May-17	No new and emerging issue for consideration by SBSTTA at this time; recommendation to evaluate process for the identification of new and emerging issues
Center for Drug Discovery and Conservation of the University of the South Pacific	23-May-17	Legislative and regulatory frameworks to govern bioprospecting and use of digital sequence information

Proposals for new and emerging issues for consideration by SBSTTA-20 and COP-13

In decision IX/29 the Conference of the Parties provided guidance on the procedure for the identification of new and emerging issues and on the review of proposals. In accordance with this decision, Parties and relevant organizations were invited, through notification 2015-017, to submit proposals on new and emerging issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and to provide additional relevant information on components, organisms and products resulting from synthetic biology techniques. The deadline for submissions is 15 September 2015. Submissions are being made available below as they are received.

Proponent	Date	Proposed issue(s)
Australia	27-Aug-15	No new and emerging issue for consideration by the SBSTTA-20
Peruvian Society of Environmental Law	6-Sep-15	"Jurisdiction shopping” for transboundary resources in a non-Party

Further review of SBSTTA-18 documents related to new and emerging issues

In response to decision XI/11, the Executive Secretary issued notification 2013-018, inviting additional information on synthetic biology and undertook a review of information in accordance with paragraph 5 of decision XI/11. The Executive Secretary made available for peer-review, from July to September 2013, draft documents on potential positive and negative impacts of synthetic biology and on gaps and overlaps with the Convention, its Protocols and other relevant agreements (notification 2013-053).

The Executive Secretary, with the financial support from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, revised these documents in light of the comments received. They were made available for a second round of peer-review in April 2014 (notification 2014-049). The documents were revised and completed in light of the additional comments and were made available for the information of the Subsidiary Body as information documents UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/18/INF/3 and INF/4.

The Subsidiary Body, at its eighteenth meeting, in its recommendation on new and emerging issues: synthetic biology, requested the Executive Secretary to provide additional opportunities for peer-review of these information documents and to make updated documents available prior to the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

In response to this request, the two studies are now available for further review until 13 August 2014. Please use the template for providing comments and send your suggested changes and comments to the Secretariat by e-mail ([email protected]) or by fax (+1 514 288 6588). Please note that these documents are drafts for comments only, and not for citation or other uses.

Documents for review:

• Potential positive and negative impacts of components, organisms and products resulting from synthetic biology techniques on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
• Possible gaps and overlaps with the applicable provisions of the Convention, its Protocols and other relevant agreements related to components, organisms and products resulting from synthetic biology techniques

Template for providing comments by 13 August 2014.

Previous peer review of draft documents

Proposals for new and emerging issues for SBSTTA-17 and COP-12

In decision IX/29 the Conference of the Parties provided guidance on the procedure for the identification of new and emerging issues and on the review of proposals. In accordance with this decision, Parties and relevant organizations were invited, through notification 2013-018, to submit proposals on new and emerging issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and to provide additional relevant information on components, organisms and products resulting from synthetic biology techniques. The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2013. Submissions will be made available below as they are received.

Proponent	Date	Proposed issue(s)
Brazil	28-Jun-13	No new agenda item for SBSTTA and information on synthetic biology
Ottawa River Institute	30-Jun-13	Impacts of Neonicotinoid Insecticides on Biodiversity
China	01-Jul-13	Information on synthetic biology
Wilson Center	01-Jul-13	Summary report of 4 workshops on ecological impacts of synthetic biology
Wilson Center	01-Jul-13	Interactive map of synthetic biology actors
Wilson Center	01-Jul-13	Synthetic Biology Applications Inventory
Wilson Center	01-Jul-13	Press release for NSF grant to examine the ecological impacts of synthetic biology
Wilson Center	01-Jul-13	Public poll on awareness of synthetic biology within the U.S.
ETC Group	13-Jul-13	Eight case studies on commodity replacement
ETC Group	13-Jul-13	The Bioeconomy of landlessness and hunger
Argentina	08-Aug-13	Information on synthetic biology
IUCN Task Force on Systemic Pesticides	27-Aug-13	Comment on submission from Ottawa River Institute
IUCN Task Force on Systemic Pesticides	27-Aug-13	Profile of the Task Force
Awaaz Foundation and Bombay Natural History Society India	07-Oct-13	Sand mining
European Academies Science Advisory Council	07-Oct-13	Realising European potential in synthetic biology: scientific opportunities and good governance

Proposals for new and emerging issues for SBSTTA-16 and COP-11

In decision IX/29 the Conference of the Parties provided guidance on the procedure for the identification of new and emerging issues and on the review of proposals. In accordance with this decision, Parties and relevant organizations were invited, through notification 2011-013, to submit proposals on new and emerging issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and to provide further information on some proposals received prior to SBSTTA-14. The deadline for submissions was 15 October 2011. The following submissions have been received. Proposals which were accompanied by a detailed justification in accordance with paragraph 11 of decision IX/29 are printed in bold and the information is accessible through hyperlinks. Through notification 2011-204 Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations were invited to comment, by 20 January 2012, on these proposals, applying the criteria listed in paragraph 12 of decision IX/29.

Proponent	Date	Proposed issue(s)
Mexico	22-Jun-11	No new and emerging issue at this time
Friends of the Earth	14-Oct-11	Synthetic Solutions to the Climate Crisis: The Dangers of Synthetic Biology for Biofuels Production
EcoNexus	17-Oct-11	Synthetic Biology
ETC Group	17-Oct-11	Extreme Genetic Engineering: An Introduction to Synthetic Biology
ETC Group	17-Oct-11	The New Biomassters: Synthetic Biology and the Next Assault on Biodiversity and Livelihoods
ETC Group	17-Oct-11	Extract on Synthetic Biology from Forthcoming Report “Who Will Control the Green Economy”
ETC Group	17-Oct-11	Geopiracy: The Case Against Geoengineering
International Civil Society Working Group on Synthetic Biology	18-Oct-11	Potential Impacts of Synthetic Biology on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity
L.D. Emberson et al.	26-Oct-11	Biodiversity and Ground-level Ozone
Brazil	04-Nov-11	Deep sea fishing
Brazil	04-Nov-11	Climate change in coastal and offshore zones
United Kingdom	27-Jan-12	Synthetic Biology: scope, applications and implications

Proposals for new and emerging issues for SBSTTA-14 and COP-10

In decision IX/29 the Conference of the Parties provided guidance on the procedure for the identification of new and emerging issues and on the review of proposals. In accordance with this decision, Parties and relevant organizations were invited, through notifications 2008-083 and 2008-084, to submit proposals on new and emerging issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The deadline for submissions was extended to 31 October 2009. The following proposals for new and emerging issues relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity have been received. Proposals which were accompanied by a detailed justification in accordance with paragraph 11 of decision IX/29 are printed in bold and the information is accessible through hyperlinks.

Proponent	Date	Proposed issue(s)
Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy	30-Jul-08	Nanotechnology
Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy	30-Jul-08	Biotechnology and GMOs
Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy	30-Jul-08	Increased use of market-based incentives for conservation, such as payments for ecosystem services and biodiversity offsets
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization	24-Oct-08	Potential and actual impacts of the global financial crisis on biodiversity conservation and sustainable use efforts
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization	24-Oct-08	Cultural and social drivers of biodiversity change
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization	24-Oct-08	Climate change and its continuing effects, in particular: (a) Opportunities offered and risks posed by Carbon offset schemes; and (b) Linkages between biodiversity and health
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization	24-Oct-08	Assessing the nature and scope of processes and activities in the open and deep ocean
Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria	28-Oct-08	Collection, characterization, conservation, and development of native genetic resources (plant and microbial species) with potential for energy production
Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria	28-Oct-08	Collection, characterization, conservation and sustainable utilization in food security of tropical, native genetic resources emphasizing on species with high nutritional value (tuber crops, legumes, fruits)
Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria	28-Oct-08	Cultivar development
Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria	28-Oct-08	Recovery and conservation of high value land races
Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria	28-Oct-08	Technology transfer, training and adoption of robust techniques for fingerprinting / protection purposes of high value native genetic resources
Mexico	20-Nov-08	No emerging issue this time: there is a need to focus on implementation of current activities
United Kingdom Global Biodiversity Sub Committee	15-Dec-08	Ocean acidification
United Kingdom Global Biodiversity Sub Committee	15-Dec-08	Arctic Biodiversity
United Kingdom Global Biodiversity Sub Committee	15-Dec-08	Impact of ground level ozone on biological diversity
Iran, Islamic Republic of	15-Dec-08	Effects of climate change on habitats, specifically the effects of drought on wetlands
Iran, Islamic Republic of	15-Dec-08	Climate change effects on biodiversity
Iran, Islamic Republic of	15-Dec-08	Endemic species
Iran, Islamic Republic of	15-Dec-08	Effects of GMOs on genetic diversity of wild species
Iran, Islamic Republic of	15-Dec-08	Effects of invasive alien species on genetic, species and ecosystem diversity of protected areas
Royal Society	19-Dec-08	Impact of ground level ozone on biological diversity
Suriname	24-Aug-09	Factors that adversely influence on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity including large and small-scale mining, large-scale logging, habitat conversion, poaching, invasive alien species
Okeanos Foundation and Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society	23-Nov-09	Marine Protected Areas and Undersea Noise
Professor William J. Sutherland	08-Dec-09	Microplastic pollution; Nanosilver in wastewater; Synthetic meat; Artificial life; Stratospheric aerosols; Promotion of biochar; Mobile-sensing technology; Deoxygenation of the oceans; Changes in denitrifying bacteria; High-latitude volcanism; Invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish; Trans-Arctic dispersal and colonisation; Assisted colonisation; Possible impact of REDD on non-forested ecosystems; Large-scale international land acquisitions
Applied Environmental Research Foundation, India	03-Jan-10	Integrating high conservation value native species into biofuel production for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity