the convention on biological diversity (cbd)

The Convention was opened for signature at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. It entered into force on  29^th December, 1993 and currently has 188 members. Ghana was the 12^th of the 157 countries which signed the Convention on Biological Diversity during the the Earth Summit, in June 1992. Subsequently, she has since August 1994, ratified the Convention . 

The objectives of the Convention include:

• The conservation of biological diversity;
• The sustainable use of its components, and;
• The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding. 

Important milestones of the Convention

• Opened for signature at the "Rio Earth summit",  5^th June, 1992
• Entered into force on  29^th December, 1993 i.e. 90 days after the 30^th ratification.
• Current number of Parties is 188, including Ghana.
• Seven Conferences of the Parties (COP) held so far. The last (COP'7), was held in Malaysia from 9^th to 20^th February, 2004.
  Report of COP'7 

For more information, please refer to:

• Text of the Convention
•  frequently asked Question about the Convention (Courtesy: Belgian Clearing-House Mechanism)