rice fields. Further, the institute carried out a research and analysis of organism species in rice paddies and dikes under pesticide-free production, developed agricultural technology by utilizing its research and analysis results, publicly proposing it evaluation methods. It is spreading these research results to farmers, nature protection organizations and people related to environmental education.

## (4) Cooperative efforts by companies and NGOs

The Asaza Fund, a specified nonprofit corporation, has revived Yatsuda, a reservoir for Kasumigaura Lake, and since 2008, has been producing Japanese sake using brewer's rice produced in revived Yatsuda with the cooperation of a local sake brewery. The Fund is hugely successful in selling its sake through the cooperation with local sake retailers and it is using part of sales for the revival of Yatsuda. Efforts to restore the Yatsuda reservoir are under way in a broad area around the lake in collaboration with other companies and volunteer groups.

In Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, in order to secure biodiversity-rich rice fields where white storks that have returned to the wild feed, JA Tajima, White Stork Shicchi Net, the municipal government of Toyooka, the Toyooka Agricultural Improvement and Diffusion Center of Hyogo Prefecture and others are cooperating to promote “white stork-nurturing farming method” to produce safe and secure rice and nurture a variety of living organisms at the same time by reducing the use of agricultural chemicals or with no agricultural chemicals. They are also carrying out surveys on living organisms in rice paddies by developing a method of survey farming household can conduct on their own and by cooperating citizens and consumers. Part of proceeds from the sale of “white stork-nurturing rice” planted under the above-mentioned farming method is donated to the “Toyooka White Stork Fund” to be used to improve habitats for white storks, including feeding grounds. The price is about 50% higher than ordinary rice for rice produced with no agricultural chemicals used and about 20% higher for rice with reduced use of agricultural chemicals. Since sales have been robust despite high prices, however, farming households producing these types of rice are increasing year after year. Sales of the 2008 crop amounted to 520 tons (produced in about 200 hectares of rice paddies) for about ¥170 million.

## Section 4 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP10) That Determines the Direction of Life on the Earth

In order to maintain the sound foundation for existence of mankind, not only global warming countermeasures but also the conservation of biodiversity and its sustainable use are essential. Therefore, given the experience of failure to achieve the 2010 Biodiversity Target, the international community is getting into action to set a new target for years beyond 2010. Japan, as the host country of COP10, will make the meeting successful and promote efforts for sustainable exploitation of ecosystem services.

## 1 The international community at a major turning point

“The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)” released at the high-level ministerial segment of COP9 in 2008 in its preface noted that “we are still

Source: Prepared by Ministry of the Environment based on the website of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat

learning the ‘nature of value,’ as we broaden our concept of ‘capital’ to encompass human capital, social capital

1993	Convention on Biological Diversity entered into force
(Three main objectives)
·The conservation of biological diversity
·The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity
·The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources
2002
(COP6)	Adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity Strategic Plan
2010 Target: Achieve a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss by the year 2010
2006
(COP8)	Release of the second edition of Global Biodiversity Outlook (GB02)
Loss of biodiversity still continuing
2007	The G8 Environment Ministers Meeting held in Germany addressed biodiversity as a major agenda for the first time
2008
(COP9)	Decision to hold CBD COP10 in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
2010
(COP10)	Release of the third edition of Global Biodiversity Outlook (GB03)
Failed to achieve the 2010 Target

Source: Ministry of the Environment