The Belgian National Focal Point to the CBD

 

The Belgian National Focal Point to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is based at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. It is the communication channel between:

• on the one hand, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (Montreal, Canada) and other international bodies, and

• on the other hand, all the competent actors for the implementation of the Convention at national level, including federal and regional administrations, institutions, agencies, non-governmental organisations and the private sector.

The main tasks of the Belgian National Focal Point are:

• to facilitate Convention on Biological Diversity implementation processes and activities at national level,
• to coordinate reporting to the CBD on the state of biological diversity in Belgium (national and thematic reports, country studies, ...),
• to develop the clearing-house mechanism at national level, whenever possible also in national languages,
• to participate in the elaboration and evaluation of a national strategy and action plans for the conservation of biological diversity,
• to give scientific assistance and advice in issues related to the Convention,
• to prepare for scientific documents and to organise meetings,
• to provide information and support to education and public-awareness actions related to biological diversity and the Convention.

The Clearing-House Mechanism is the backbone of the Convention. The goals of the CHM are to promote and facilitate scientific and technical cooperation for the implementation of the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity:
- the conservation of biological diversity,
- the sustainable use of its components, and
- the equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

In practice, the National Focal Point operates in close cooperation with other biodiversity focal points in Belgium, and in particular with the three Regional Focal Points and with the Thematic Focal Point on Biosafety (Cartagena Protocol). Furthermore the Belgian National Focal Point collaborates very closely with the Steering Committee "Biodiversity Convention", 

Funding. Staff and activities of the Belgian National Focal Point are funded mainly by the Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs. Development cooperation activities are funded by the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation. Additional funding is provided by the Federal Ministry of Environment.

 

National Focal Point staff and address
Staff:
- J.L. Van Goethem, Head of the Secretariat of the National Focal Point
- Marc Peeters, Assistant to the NFP
- Marianne Schlesser, Assistant to the NFP
- Anne Franklin, Project coördinator and webmaster to the Belgian Clearing-House Mechanism
- Han de Koeijer, Tutor partnership and web master to the B CHM
- Arnaud Reveillon, Assistant tutor partnership and GTI,
- Yves Samyn, Tutor for GTI at the focalpoint.

Address:
Belgian National Focal Point to the Convention on Biological Diversity
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
Vautier Street 29
B-1000   Brussels

Tel.: +32-2-627 43 43  or  +32-2-627 45 45
Fax: +32-2-627 41 41

 

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