were opportunities to share experiences and promote international exchange among Parties. The workshops are also expected to promote effective use of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB, the equivalent to the Stern report for biodiversity) and mainstream biodiversity in society as a whole by incorporating biodiversity perspectives in policies that extend outside the environmental arena (e.g., agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries, and national land development).

Project achievements using JBF are widely published through various forms of media, including websites, newsletters, and journals of the secretariat of the Convention. Japan’s international contributions as the Presidency of COP 10 are thus spread around the world.

## (3) Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund

The world's genetic resources are widely used for pharmaceuticals, physiologically functional food, cosmetics, breeding, research and development, and the like, all of which serve to improve human welfare. There is a mechanism for ensuring the smooth provision of genetic resources from the countries that possess them (mostly developing countries) to the private sector or researchers in the countries that want to use them (mostly developed countries) called Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (Access and Benefit-Sharing, ABS). ABS also ensures that benefits obtained from the selling of products developed by using these genetic resources are accurately allocated to the countries that provided them as a way to contribute to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in those countries (Figure 4-4-3).

At COP 10, the Nagoya Protocol on ABS was adopted together with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets after many years of negotiation. Also, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets incorporated the enforcement of the Nagoya Protocol by the Parties by 2015 as individual target No. 16. ABC is advocated as one of the three goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its basic scheme is defined in the text of the convention. The Nagoya Protocol stipulates that specific measures should be taken by countries providing resources and countries using resources in order to implement ABS. Nevertheless, the following are considered essential in developing countries in particular: (1) establishing a domestic system corresponding to the Nagoya Protocol; (2) facilitating the participation of society (e.g., indigenous peoples) and stakeholders in ABS initiatives; and (3) building capacity and raising public awareness of conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources.

During the COP 10 session, Japan committed to providing one billion yen to support developing countries in capacity building in relation to in ABS. In response to this

Figure 4-4-3 Outline of ABS (Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing) Mechanism

Reference: Ministry of the Environment

$ ^{*} $ PIC: Prior Informed Consent MAT: Mutually Agreed-upon Terms

commitment, the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF) was established on March 17, 2011 by the World Bank, with the goal of early entry into force and effective implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. On April 27 of the same year, Japan provided the funding. The NPIF is operated by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Based on the proposal offered by Japan and opinions issuing from the Council Meeting, detailed information on the support activities of the NPIF, methods for managing projects and funds, and work programs were approved at the 40th GEF Council Meeting, held between May 24 and 26, 2011. The objectives and activities include: (1) developing ABS domestic systems; (2) promoting private sector engagement and investment in the conservation of genetic resources; (3) building capacity in societies of indigenous peoples to secure access to traditional knowledge of genetic resources; (4) raising public awareness; and (5) strengthening knowledge and scientific base. Funds will be accepted not only from the governments of the respective countries but also from the private sector.

On December 13, 2011, the NPIF’s first project was approved, with aims to implement the following in Panama: discovery of active compounds for the treatment of cancer and other ailments; allocating benefits through transfer of technologies to facilitate the discovery of effective chemical compounds and the sustainable use of biodiversity,

conserving protected areas with genetic resources, and allocating benefits through capacity building at related research institutions; and establishing domestic ABS systems. This academy, industry, government project is being executed by several organizations, including the National Environment Authority of Panama (ANAM), the Institute of Advanced Scientific Investigations and High Technology Services (INDICASAT), the University of Panama, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Eisai Inc. (a US subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd.).

The NPIF may be useful for a wide range of projects to be executed in developing countries, such as: joint development of products using genetic resources; the sustainable use, evaluation, and storage of genetic resources; conservation of habitats with numerous genetic resources; and building and making effective use of databases of traditional knowledge relating to genetic resources. It is hoped that, in the future, the NPIF will be effectively used by various organizations (e.g., states, international organizations, and the private sector) or that these organizations will actively participate in funding NPIF for conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources, thereby making a contribution to the early entry into force and effective implementation of the Nagoya Protocol.

## 3 Strengthening Linkages between Policy and Science

(1) Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

To achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, it is vital to assess the current situation and changes in biodiversity and ecosystem services based on scientific knowledge, and then accurately reflect this information in national policies. There is currently an ongoing effort to establish the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) as an intergovernmental organization for making policy proposals based on research results achieved around the world. The IPBES is also referred to as the biodiversity version of the IPCC, referring to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in the climate change sector. The IPBES consists of four core activity areas: knowledge formulation, scientific assessment, policy planning support, and capacity development. It is hoped that establishment of the organization will further promote initiatives for effectively and efficiently conserving biodiversity from a scientific perspective.

Japan has been actively contributing to the establishment of the IPBES from its position as the Presidency of COP 10. Prior to the first session, in July 2011, Japan hosted a Scientific Workshop on IPBES Assessment together with the United Nations University and the government of South Africa (Photo 4-4-1). At the workshop, a lively discussion focused on scientific assessment, one of the four core activity areas. The results were reported to the first session as a reference document. In addition, Japan hosted a side event related to scientific assessment and knowledge formulation based on the workshop achievements during the session. The side event was attended by a large number of people and discussions were held to facilitate a dialogue between scientists and policymakers, as well as to forge linkages between scientific assessment and other activities.

Source: Ministry of the Environment