Draft resolution Economic Benefits of Biodiversity Concept Note The Convention on Biological Diversity emphasizes the importance of the

conservation and sustainable use of biological resources as well as their economic, social, and ecological benefits. The three objectives of the Convention are: The conservation and sustainable use of biological resources and its components, appropriate access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and traditional knowledge, including by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies taking into account all rights over those resources and to those technologies, and by appropriate funding. The provisions concerning access to genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated to them and benefit sharing of the benefits arising out of their utilization have been further developed in the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of benefits Arising From Their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity that recognizes that public awareness of the economic value of ecosystems and biodiversity and the fair and equitable sharing of that economic value with the custodians of biodiversity are key incentives for the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components. There is a growing awareness of the services provided by biodiversity through the ecosystems and of the impacts and economic benefits of those services for a sustainable economic growth and development. In this regard, it has been underlined the urgent need to improve capacity for mainstreaming the three objectives of the Convention into poverty eradication strategies and plans, as well as the relevance of biodiversity and healthy ecosystems for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It is therefore important that the real benefits of biodiversity, and the costs of its loss are reflected within the economic system and markets and it is urgent to take measures to achieve the objectives of the Convention and the Nagoya Protocol, towards a comprehensive approach to sustainable development and taking into account the Aichi Biodiversity targets The proposed draft resolution, through its action oriented provisions, aims at encouraging the accomplishment of those objectives during the Decade of Biodiversity, focusing on an effective integration of biodiversity issues into broader policies and strategies and on the awareness of the importance of the economic benefits of a sustainable use of biodiversity and its components for the development process.