TO: All parties interested in effective implementation of the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
FROM: Sheldon Cohen & Stas Burgiel, Biodiversity Action
Network (BIONET)
SUBJECT: ANNOUNCING A NEW INTERNET "LIST-
SERVER" FOR DISTRIBUTING INFORMATION
RELATED TO THE CONVENTION ON
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD)
DATE: 7 May 1996
______________________________________________________
1. INTRODUCTION
We are pleased to announce the establishment of a special "list-server"
(or electronic mailing list) on the Internet devoted specifically to the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its effective
implementation. It is entitled BIODIV-CONV. A list-server is simply
an automated mechanism that uses e-mail addresses to disseminate
information over the Internet to large numbers of people throughout
the world.
First off, for your information, BIONET is an NGO network working
to strengthen biodiversity policy and law, with a sharp focus on
promoting effective implementation of the CBD. Over the past few
months, we have consulted with BIONET member organizations and
other partners concerning the establishment of such a list-server. Based
on these consultations, and related research, we have identified a clear
need for this type of Internet information tool.
The CBD implementation phase is moving forward rapidly:
- Over 170 governments have now signed the CBD, and over 140
have ratified (and are referred to as Parties).
- The CBD Secretariat has been permanently established in
Montreal, headed by Dr. Calestous Juma.
- Two meetings of the CBD's governing body, or Conference of the
Parties (COP), have already been held, and have resulted in a
number of substantive decisions.
- The "Jakarta Mandate on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity" was
adopted by the COP last November.
- The COP-3 meeting is scheduled for 4 - 15 November 1996
(Buenos Aires), and will address several important substantive
issues.
- The first meeting to negotiate a CBD protocol on biosafety is
scheduled for 22-26 July in Denmark.
- The Global Environment Facility (operating the CBD's financial
mechanism on an interim basis) has begun to disburse grants to
support CBD implementation in developing countries.
- A growing number of CBD Parties have already developed, or are
in the process of developing, their national biodiversity strategies
and action plans.
Successful implementation of the CBD will require broad and active
participation of a wide range of stakeholders committed to translating
the legally-binding obligations under the CBD into action that
produces meaningful, on-the-ground results. These stakeholders will
require a growing amount of solid and timely information. This list-
server is intended to help provide such information and to help
mobilize worldwide support for effective CBD implementation.
We are establishing this list-server with an initial e-mail distribution
list of about 1,000 individuals representing: non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) such as
U.N. agencies and international treaty secretariats, governments,
private foundations, the private sector and others who have been
participating actively in the CBD process or have shown a strong
interest in this general area. For example, our distribution list includes
most of the NGO and IGO participants in the most recent CBD
intergovernmental meeting (COP-2), held in November 1995 in
Jakarta. The list also includes many of the individuals designated as
the CBD "focal points" within governments. And in the coming
months, we will include additional e-mail addresses of these and other
key CBD stakeholder groups.
This is an "open access" list and any individuals or organizations are
welcome to join. (As such, particularly sensitive and confidential
information will not be posted.) We expect the distribution list to grow
rapidly in the months ahead. In this regard, we need your help to
identify others who would be interested in being on the list. strongly
encourage you to alert your colleagues to its existence, and to notify
them of the automatic subscription procedure:
send e-mail to <majordomo at igc.apc.org> with the following message
SUBSCRIBE BIODIV-CONV <your e-mail address>
For anyone subscribing to this list, we would appreciate it if you could
send us an e-mail (bionet at igc.apc.org) to notify us, and include your
full mailing address and contact information.
To help save you time and on-line charges, we will include in the
subject line for each posted document a KEYWORD (to describe the
topic of the document) and the page length. By doing this, you will be
able to delete any messages that are not of interest. We are aware that
some of you on select APC "nodes" will be incurring extra gateway
charges. If this is the case and it becomes cost-prohibitive, please
contact us and we can discuss alternative transmission options.
2. TYPES OF INFORMATION THAT WILL BE POSTED
The list-server will provide diverse information to help promote
effective implementation of the CBD, including action at the
international, national and sub-national levels. The list-server, which
will be moderated by the BIONET Secretariat office, will include:
- information about CBD intergovernmental meetings and
intersessional activity related to these meetings;
- information on CBD Secretariat activities;
- information produced by the CBD Secretariat appropriate for
general circulation;
- reports and analyses of CBD meetings;
- timely alerts about other particularly relevant upcoming
meetings (e.g., Global Biodiversity Forum, UN Commission on
Sustainable Development, Global Environment Facility);
- reports on recent events/processes (e.g., conferences,
workshops, Global Environment Facility, CSD
Intergovernmental Panel on Forests, etc.);
- issue-specific reports, position papers and other materials by
NGOs, IGOs, governments, industry, etc.;
- pre-print versions of the BIODIVERSITY BULLETIN
newsletter;
- periodic calendars of biodiversity events;
- lists of key contacts;
- lists of recent publications; and
- information on biodiversity-related internet sites.
3. IF YOU WOULD LIKE INFORMATION POSTED TO THE
LIST-SERVER
To make this list-server useful, we are counting on you and others to
provide us with relevant announcements and information that you
would like posted. Posted documents will automatically be circulated
to the entire distribution list of over 1,000 persons. While we expect
that nearly all requests falling within the scope of this list-server will
be posted, some may be rejected for pertinent reasons. We are in the
process of developing criteria in this regard, and will circulate them
for comment.
The list-server could function not only as a general information
clearinghouse on the CBD implementation process and related issues,
but also could become a forum for publicizing new initiatives and
successful programs, and for presenting proposals for needed action. In
addition, it could serve as a vehicle for facilitating contacts,
partnerships and collaboration.
4. ACCOMPANYING ELECTRONIC CONFERENCE
Accompanying the list-server is an electronic conference (biodiv.conv)
containing a comprehensive, virtual archive of all the documents ever
posted to the list-server. As people subscribe to the list-server, this will
become a useful, maintenance-free, vehicle to quickly review past
issues and information, and to download those documents of interest. It
should be noted, however, that the conference can only be accessed if
you subscribe to a computer network that is a member of the
Association of Progressive Communications (APC), such as: Econet
(US), Greennet (UK), Pegasus (Australia), Glasnet (CIS), Alternex
(Brazil), and Nicarao (Nicaragua). The conference should be accessible
under the conferences section of your APC node, under the title
<biodiv.conv>.
5. TO CONTACT US
We welcome any suggestions you might have concerning the above
information and ways that this list server can be most useful. To
communicate with us in this regard, or for further information, please
contact:
Sheldon Cohen or Stas Burgiel
Biodiversity Action Network (BIONET)
1400 16th Street NW, Suite 502
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: +1.202.547.8902
Fax: +1.202.265.0222
E-mail: bionet at igc.apc.org
Web: http://www.access.digex.net/~bionet