Convention on Biological Diversity

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international treaty with three main goals:

1. The conservation of biodiversity
2. The sustainable use of the components of biodiversity
3. The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources.

It entered into force on 29 December 1993 and to date has 196 Parties (168 signatures). The CBD is governed by the Conference of the Parties (COP), which meets every two years; the fourteenth meeting (COP14) took place in November 2018 in Egypt.

There are also two international agreements which fall under the CBD:

1. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which entered into force on 11 September 2003.
2. Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which entered into force on 12 October 2014.