Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

[ ] 29 “ COP-7’s agenda gave Parties an opportunity to live up to one of the CBD’s most significant challenges: respond with concrete measures to the outcomes of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), including the target of significantly reducing biodiversity loss by 2010, and show that the CBD is the most appropriate and efficient policy framework to address biodiversity. ” His Excellency Mr. Dato’ Seri Law Hieng Ding Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment for Malaysia COP 7, 9–20 February 2004 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia “ The preservation of biological diversity is a matter to which the German Government — and I personally — attach great importance. ” Her Excellency Ms. Angela Merkel Chancellor of Germany COP 9, 19–30 May 2008 – Bonn, Germany “ Biodiversity is our planet’s greatest treasure and that opposition to benefit-sharing is a threat to life on earth. ” His Excellency Mr. Luis Inácio Lula da Silva President of Brazil COP 8, 20–31 March 2006 – Curtiba Brazil “ This was a critical time for measures to protect biodiversity, and called for new realistic global targets and for the establishment of an international ABS regime. ” His Excellency Mr. Ryu Matsumoto Minister of the Environment of Japan COP 10, 8–29 October 2010 – Nagoya, Japan “ In the course of our future work we should never forget to remind ourselves about the question: can we answer to our children and grandchildren that we made a stand for biodiversity and that we went beyond our differences in order to make a difference. ” His Excellency Mr. Hans Hoogeveen Vice-Minister for Agriculture, Netherlands COP 6, 7–19 April 2002 –The Hague, Netherlands “ Biodiversity is a vital resource for socioeconomic development and for the long-term wellbeing of communities. ” His Excellency Mr. Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi President of Kenya COP 5, 15–26 May 2000 – Nairobi, Kenya