and natural capital. By recognizing and by seeking to grow or conserve these other 'capitals' we are working our way towards sustainability." Human capital is priced by payments of compensation for labor and social capital is priced by payments for services provided, but as for natural capital, most ecosystem services are used free of charge have not been priced, though only a small portion of ecosystem services are being traded with prices. The absence of pricing is believed to be one of the fundamental causes of the loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystems. TEEB points out that removal of this fundamental cause is necessary for sustainable use of ecosystem services.

Signing of the Convention on Biological Diversity began at the U.N. Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992, along with the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Thus, these two conventions are often called the twin conventions. At present, 192 countries and the European Union have acceded to the Convention on Biological Diversity and 191 countries and the European Union have acceded to the Framework Convention on Climate Change. This means almost all countries on the earth participate in the two conventions, demonstrating the extent of international interest in them. The contracting parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity are required to formulate national biodiversity strategies, and at present, a total of 170 countries have formulated their national strategies (Figure 3-4-1). As seen by these figures, countries sharing the sense of crisis about the loss of biodiversity are growing, and it is hoped that countermeasures taken by each country and coordinated international efforts will make further progress going forward.

Since the Convention on Biological Diversity took effect in 1993, efforts by the international community have made headway as summarized in Figure 3-4-2. COP6 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, held in The Hague, the Netherlands, in 2002 with the theme of "from dialogue to action," adopted the "Convention on Biological Diversity Strategic Plan," including the "2010 Target" to "to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss". The "third edition of Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO3)" released by the Convention Secretariat in May 2010 in order to assess the achievement status of the 2010 Target showed that nine out of 15 indicators depicting the state of biodiversity has declined (Figure 1-5-2), and said the 2010 Target "has not been met" and the loss of biodiversity is continuing.

The sense of crisis is mounting that unless the degradation of biodiversity halts, we could face a serious situation with ecosystem services greatly damaged. On the other hand, the scientific capturing and assessment of biodiversity still remain insufficient, underscoring the need to globally push forward with the establishment of assessment methods and improvement of biodiversity monitoring systems.

## 2 2010 and Significance of CBD COP10

COP10 to be held in 2010 is set to assess the 2010 Target and discuss a new global target for biodiversity beyond 2010, or “Post-2010 Target” (Figure 3-4-3).

The U.N. General Assembly in 2006 decided to designate 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB). The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity is to serve an organ responsible for the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB), and the Secretariat is urging contracting parties to increase the awareness of the three major objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity ((1) the conservation of biological diversity; (2) the sustainable use of the components of biological diversity; (3) the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources) and the 2010 Target achievement, and also hold ceremonies to mark the International Year of Biodiversity by setting up national

## Figure 3-4-3 Major Themes to Be Discussed at COP10

●Assessment of the 2010 Target and adoption of the next target beyond 2010 (the post-2010 target)

Completion of an International Regime on Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) of genetic resources.

● Sustainable use of biodiversity; protected areas; businesses and biodiversity; public relations, diffusion and edification; the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB), etc.

Source: Ministry of the Environment

commissions. Under the IYB logo (Figure 3-4-4) and the slogan, "Biodiversity is life. Biodiversity is our life.," decided by the Secretariat, a variety of activities are set to take place around the world in 2010. Furthermore, in September 2010, a summit-class high-level meeting on biodiversity is scheduled to take place at the U.N. General Assembly. In a year that is to become a major milestone globally, an international conference that will set the course of the future direction of global biodiversity will take place in Japan.

Also on the agenda of COP10 are important issues aside from the Post-2010 targets. One of them is an international regime for access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources (ABS), on which discussions are to be completed by COP10. The Convention on Biological Diversity acknowledges states' sovereign rights to exploit natural resources within their jurisdiction and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of

Figure 3-4-4 International Year of Diversity Logo

2010年 国際生物多様性年

Source: Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity