India has encouraged delegates at the 11th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP-11) in Hyderabad, India, to adopt the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Protocol will  not enter into force until 50 nations ratify it. India, COP-11′s chair, is also pushing for member nations to agree on a road map on the issues adopted during COP-10 two years ago in Nagoya, Japan. 

India’s Minister of Forests and Environment, Jayanthi Natarajan, appealed to representatives of the 173 nations present, emphasising that future generations will not forgive a failure to preserve the earth’s biodiversity. Amina Mohamed, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of UNEP, called on all parties to “to step up effort for the early ratification of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing.” 

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