Table 3-1-2 Background of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP)

Conference of the Parties	Date / Venue	Overview
COP1	November 28 - December 9, 1994
Bahamas (Nassau)	·Adoption of rules of procedure for the Conference of the Parties
·Designation of a standing secretariat, and establishment of Subsidiary Bodies for Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA)
·Designation of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) as an interim financial mechanism
·Decisions related to organizational matters for the secretariat and the Conference of the Parties, etc.
COP2	November 6 - 17, 1995
Indonesia (Jakarta)	·Decision on the location of the secretariat (Montreal, Canada)
·Establishment of an ad hoc group of experts on biosafety
·Adoption of guidelines related to marine and coastal biodiversity (Jakarta Mandate)
COP3	November 4 - 15, 1996
Argentina (Buenos Aires)	·Conclusion of a memorandum of understanding with the GEF
·Reconsideration of Implementing Agenda 21, etc.
COP4	May 4 - 15, 1998
Slovakia (Bratislava)	·Adoption of program of work for inland water ecosystems, forest biodiversity and marine and coastal biodiversity
·Establishment of a working group related to traditional knowledge, etc.
Extraordinary Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (ExCOP)	February 22 - 23, 1999
Colombia (Cartagena)
January 24 - 28, 2000
Canada (Montreal)	·Adoption of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
COP5	May 15 - 26, 2000
Kenya (Nairobi)	·Adoption of a programme of work for agricultural biodiversity, dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity, and traditional knowledge
·Establishment of a working group for access and benefit sharing (ABS) of genetic resources, etc.
COP6	April 7 - 19, 2002
The Netherlands (The Hague)	·Adoption of a strategic plan for the convention (2010 Target)
·Adoption of the Bonn Guidelines related to ABS, etc.
※Announcement of Global Biodiversity Outlook 1 (GBO1) (November, 2001)
COP7	February 9 - 20, 2004
Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)	·Establishment of a working group for protected areas, and a working group for implementation of the convention
·Decision to consider an “ABS International Regime” as a mandate for the ABS working group
COP8	March 20 - 31, 2006
Brazil (Curitiba)	·Decision to have the ABS working group conclude consideration of the ABS International Framework by COP10
·Announcement of Global Biodiversity Outlook 2 (GBO2), etc.
COP9	May 19 - 30, 2008
Germany (Bonn)	·Confirmation of strengthening the efforts aimed at achieving the 2010 Target
·Consideration of revising the new strategic plan for the convention
COP10	October 18 - 29, 2010
Japan (Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture)	·Adoption of a new strategic plan for the convention (post-2010 targets (Aichi Biodiversity Targets))
·Adoption of the Nagoya Protocol on ABS, etc.
※Announcement of Global Biodiversity Outlook 3 (GBO3) (May 2010)

Source: Ministry of the Environment

approximately 700 people at COP1 in 1994 surpassed 7,000 people at COP9 in 2008 and came to surpass 13,000 people at COP10 in 2010 (the numbers of participants in COP9 and COP10 include media local staff). In addition, since the G8 Environment Ministers Meeting held in 2007 in Bonn, Germany, the issue of biodiversity has become important topic at G8 process and thus global attention is increasing every year. The COP10, which was held in 2010, had significant meaning on the following three points above all.

Firstly, 2010 was the target year for the “2010 Biodiversity Targets”. At COP6 in 2002, a “Strategic Plan for the Convention on Biological Diversity” (hereinafter referred to as the “Strategic Plan”), which included that “2010 Biodiversity Targets” to “significantly reduce the current rate of biodiversity loss by 2010,” was adopted, and efforts aimed at achieving the target were undertaken throughout the world. However, the “Global Biodiversity Outlook 3 (GBO3)”, which was published in May 2010 by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, underlined that nine out of the fifteen assessment indicators showed negative trend, and concluded that “the 2010 biodiversity target has not been met” and “the state of biodiversity continues to decline” (Figure 3-1-2: Trends Shown by Agreed Indicators of Progress towards the 2010 Biological Target). It was also pointed out that if the loss continues as it is, it is possible that the “tipping point,” which is the point of limit up to which ecosystems can recover on their own, will be crossed, and serious damage for the future generations will be caused (Figure 3-1-1: Tipping Points – an Illustration of the Concept). Moreover, it was pointed out that the question of whether or not the relatively stable environment conditions that humans have relied on for the past 10,000 years could continue into the next centuries would be determined by the actions of the next ten to twenty years. Amid this sense of crisis, COP10

Figure 3-1-1 Tipping Point an illustration of the concept