For detailed info about the conference agenda see here.
The Conference venue is the Maratim Hotel which is the same venue as the UNFCCC intersessional (annually between the annual COPs) that I attended here in May 2004.
The UNFCCC (Climate change) secretariat is based here in Bonn while the secretariat of the CBD is in Montreal.
The whole precinct is well signposted.
Just outside the venue is the plaza of diversity. A veritable village of exhibits occupying the campus where the German Environment, Health and Transport are situated.
The Cities and Biodiversity exhibit.
The Mayor of Johannesburg will be one of six or so mayors contributing to a presentation to the high level segment (national minister's segment) of the COP.
As a woodworker this puzzle in the German Ministry of Environment interested me.
Unfortunately there was no explanation but I can imagine that once complete one can use it to demonstrate tree rings and explain tree ages compared to historical events or something similar.
I loved this pig which was part of a schools exhibition.
There is a huge focus here on the CBD's 2010 Biodiversity Target.
Certainly at provincial level in SA I haven't even heard about it!
Though I must admit to having my head buried in Climate Change for the past two years.
When I get back I'm going to make it the focus of the Biodiversity Management community in the province and suggest that we organise a big biodiversity festival to celebrate the International Day for Biodiversity (May 22) in 2010.
I'm collecting ideas while I am here. But we will have to make it a new departmental policy priority next year to have the funds to achieve anything worthwhile. The latest EU directives on Biodiversity will apparently cost Germany over 600M Euros to implement - what chance of the Western Cape providing anything additional for biodiversity management!
Business and Biodiversity Forum - I must try to attend but it will depend on delegation commitments. See here for more info.
The Plaza of Diversity
Today was music from all over the world.
I see that Hugh Masakela of SA is one of the performers at the main conference opening event tomorrow evening.
Nature Conservation is ...
A fascinating series of posters by the German Environmental Ministry
Giving a simple explanation of all the elements of environmental conservation ...
... or Biodiversity Management if you will
Biodiversity origami - again
That furthest box represented 'Sud Afrika' nogal!
Youth development
NAJU 'Klima Akademie'
An interesting interactive exhibit to illustrate fish ladders ...
... with a detailed info sheet about the need for fish ladders.
Pavement art.
A project of HELP.
Climate protection and development assistance.
The German Environmental Ministry's exhibit.
Wild flowers and grasses.
A sample of four posters from a large exhibit about invasive alien fauna and flora.
Many interactive exhibits ...
... as part of the CEPA Fair
Communication, education and public awareness (CEPA) is central and essential to the implementation of the Convention. It is for this reason that Article 13 encourages the promotion of the importance of, and the measures required for, the conservation of biological diversity through the media and the inclusion of relevant topics in educational programmes. The importance of CEPA to the mainstreaming of biodiversity into a variety of sectors is also reflected in the Strategic Plan.
German Forests' exhibit - Wood produced sustainably.
And then it was back to the hotel to catch up on my blog and do lots of preparatory reading about South Africa's position on the various issues for in-depth consideration to be negotiated further at the conference.
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