The Jakarta Mandate - Convention on Biological Diversity

<strong>Jakarta</strong> <strong>Mandate</strong> – from consensus towork programme<strong>The</strong> pressure on coastal and marine environmentsworld-wide was highlighted in the comprehensiveGlobal Biodiversity Assessment,commissioned by UNEP, funded by the GlobalEnvironment Facility (GEF), and presentedto the COP meeting in Jarkarta in 1995.That meeting also comprised a meeting ofMinisters. In their Statement they referred tothe new global consensus on marine andcoastal biological diversity as the <strong>Jakarta</strong><strong>Mandate</strong> on Marine and Coastal BiologicalDiversity.<strong>The</strong> Ministers reaffirmed that ‘there is acritical need for the COP to address the conservationand sustainable use of marine andcoastal biological diversity, and urge Parties toinitiate immediate action to implement the decisionsadopted on this issue.’ In that context,the Ministers welcomed ‘the declaration by theCOP of the new global consensus on the importanceof marine and coastal diversity’.In the decision taken by the COP at itsmeeting in Jarkarta, a work programme formarine and coastal biological diversity wascalled for. Following this decision (II/10), aRoster of Experts on Marine and CoastalBiological Diversity was established. On thebasis of their work and recommendations bythe experts, a work programme was subsequentlyelaborated.At the COP meeting in Bratislava in 1998,the Parties adopted a Decision (IV/5) on conservationand sustainable use of marine andcoastal biological diversity, including a MultiyearProgramme of Work on Marine andCoastal Biological Diversity. <strong>The</strong> work programmeis focused on five thematic issues,which reflect those identified in the <strong>Jakarta</strong> Decisionand Ministerial Statement. In addition,this Decision also addresses coral reefs andSmall Island Developing States.<strong>The</strong> purpose of the work programme is tofacilitate the assist the implementation of the<strong>Jakarta</strong> <strong>Mandate</strong>. It is to be promoted and coordinatedby the Secretariat of the <strong>Convention</strong>,and is founded on six basic principles:• <strong>The</strong> ecosystem approach;• <strong>The</strong> precautionary principle;• <strong>The</strong> importance of science;• That full use should be made of theroster of experts;• <strong>The</strong> involvement of local and indigenouscommunities (traditional knowledge); and• Three levels – national, regional andglobal – of programme implementation.<strong>The</strong> work also interacts with a number ofother programme activities within the Conven-~ 6