11 Asia-Pacific nations call for new target on biodiversity+

NAGOYA, Sept. 13 Kyodo - Environment ministers and officials from 11 Asia-Pacific countries called Saturday for a new international target to ensure natural conservation and
biodiversity.
Delegates to the Environment Congress for Asia and the Pacific said in a
chairman's summary issued after a one-day meeting in Nagoya that it is vital to
set the new target to replace a 2002 goal among parties to the Convention on
Biological Diversity to significantly reduce the loss of biodiversity by 2010.
The delegates also called for the creation of an Asian regional fund to help
developing countries protect biodiversity, according to the summary.
The meeting was meant to lay the groundwork for the 10th conference of the CBD
to be held in December 2010 in the central Japan city, where countries and
territories plan to adopt the new biodiversity target.
Japanese Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito warned that rapid economic growth
and rising population appear to be seriously affecting biodiversity in the
Asia-Pacific region, as well as threatening people's living conditions.
Some delegates called for the creation of a system to monitor changes in
biodiversity as a way of curbing deforestation in developing countries and
conserving endangered species and migratory animals.
Others called on the Group of Eight major nations, the World Bank and other
donors to launch a fund to help developing countries protect biodiversity. The
G-8 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the
United States.
Along with delegates from countries such as Cambodia, China, South Korea, Palau
and Papua New Guinea, Ahmed Djoghlaf, executive secretary of the Montreal-based
CBD, and representatives from other international organizations took part in
the Nagoya gathering.