Pretoria - South Africa has called for more equitable sharing of benefits that arise from the use of genetic resources and traditional knowledge in biodiversity.
The country confirmed its stance, which it shares with the rest of Africa, at the start of the 10th Conference of Parties (COP10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
The conference, which runs from today until 29 October, is being held in Nagoya, Japan.
The Department of Environmental Affairs said that South Africa is backing the call for the development of a protocol to ensure more equitable sharing of benefits because such a protocol has not been effectively implemented.
"Sustainable utilisation of natural resources is at the forefront of South Africa's approach to development, as articulated in the National Strategy for Sustainable Development and other legislative and strategic frameworks," said department spokesperson, Albi Modise.
Genetic resources, which can be the genetic material of plants, animals and micro-organisms, are of great value for future biodiversity stability.
Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica and her deputy, Rejoice Mabudafhasi, are later expected to join the high-powered delegation that is already in Nagoya for the High Level Segment of the negotiations.
South Africa will also support recommendations that express the role of biodiversity in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
"However, South Africa will take care not to confound the biodiversity discussions with the greater global negotiations on climate change.
"[We] will strive to ensure that the biodiversity response to the climate change crisis is effective and that all political and financial implications are taken into account before the final decisions are taken and the global community moves into further action," said Modise.
