The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 5 June 1992 and entered into force in 1993. Nearly every state in the world is a party.
Three Objectives
Article 1 sets out three objectives: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources.
Key Commitments
Parties must develop national biodiversity strategies and action plans (Article 6); identify and monitor important components of biodiversity (Article 7); establish protected areas and promote in situ conservation (Article 8), including respect for the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities (Article 8(j)); carry out environmental impact assessments of projects likely to harm biodiversity (Article 14); and recognise the sovereign rights of states over their natural resources, so that access to genetic resources is subject to prior informed consent and mutually agreed terms (Article 15).
Protocols and Frameworks
The Cartagena Protocol (2000) regulates the safe transboundary movement of living modified organisms. The Nagoya Protocol (2010) gives operational effect to access and benefit-sharing. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022) sets global targets for 2030, including the protection of at least thirty per cent of land and sea areas.
In Indonesia
Indonesia is one of the world's megadiverse countries, home to a remarkable share of the world's species across its forests, coral reefs and islands. It ratified the CBD by Law No. 5 of 1994 and the Nagoya Protocol by Law No. 11 of 2013. The Convention informs conservation law, the management of national parks and marine protected areas, and the protection of traditional knowledge, issues that touch farming, fishing, medicine and tourism.