Partnership forged between Japan Committee for the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

Kanazawa, Japan, 20 December 2011– The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Japan Committee for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCNJ) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a view to promoting greater awareness amongst civil society organisations in Japan and abroad and join forces for the successful implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Targets.

The MoU, which was signed in Kanazawa City, Japan, on 19 December 2011 at the margins of the official launch of the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, was also endorsed by Communication, Education and Public Awareness Japan (CEPA Japan) and the Japan Civil Network for the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity (JCN-UNDB).

The agreement highlights the crucial role civil society plays in implementing the Nagoya Biodiversity Compact, and contributes to the success of the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity and the Aichi Targets. It also stresses the importance of working together with international partners in order to raise awareness of civil society and to better support conservation and biodiversity action at the local level. It must be noted that the very idea of a United Nations Decade on Biodiversity was generated by the Japan civil society.

Through the MoU, the signatories—Mr. Masahito Yoshida, Chair of IUCNJ, Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Mr. Masahiro Kawatei, Representative of CEPA Japan, and Mr. Susumu Takayama, Representative of JCN-UNDB—agreed to cooperate in several areas, including in the development and global dissemination of communication and outreach materials on biodiversity and in mobilizing the commitment of local government, private sector, youth, academia and civil society organizations through, inter alia, the Niju-maru campaign.

The Niju-maru is a campaign led by the Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement International, in close collaboration with CEPA Japan, which encourages commitment by Japan-based stakeholders to the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. “Commitment of all sectors is required in order to achieve Aichi Biodiversity Targets by 2020. I believe that the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the CBD Secretariat and Japan Committee for IUCN today will mobilize the participation of all sectors through outreach programme including the Niju-maru project and CEPA,” said Masahito Yoshida.

 

Ahmed Djoghlaf said: “The Japan Civil Network played a key role in supporting the designation by the United Nations General Assembly of 2011-2020 as the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity. By reiterating their commitment today and by coordinating their efforts, IUCNJ and its partners are demonstrating the sincere will of civil society to take action to reach the goals set by the international community.”