Globally, the value of biodiversity as a key component of the environment was recognized during the build-up to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio in 1992. During this occasion, Ethiopia endorsed and signed the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Rio Earth Summit was a global meeting mandated to design integrated strategies that would stop and reverse the negative impact of human behavior on the physical environment and biodiversity and promote environmentally sustainable economic development in all countries.

The Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM) of the Convention on Biological Diversity has been established further to Article 18.3 of the Convention. Its mission is to contribute significantly to the implementation of the Convention through the promotion and facilitation of technical and scientific cooperation, among Parties, other Governments and stakeholders. More » The Strategic Plan of the Clearing-House Mechanism identifies three major goals:

• The promotion and facilitation of technical and scientific cooperation

• The promotion and facilitation of information exchange among Parties, other Governments and stakeholders

• A fully operational mechanism with participation of all Parties and an expanded network of partners.

Implementation

The implementation of the Clearing-House Mechanism has been guided by several decisions of the Conference of the Parties.

Today the Clearing-House Mechanism consists of the following components:

• The CBD website, including its Information Centre.

• The network of national Clearing-House Mechanisms.

• Various partner institutions.

The Clearing-House Mechanism is currently in the process of being improved to better contribute to the enhanced implementation phase of the Convention and the achievement of the 2010 biodiversity target. The first step of this process has been the recent launch of the new CBD website on 22 May 2007 on the occasion of the International Biodiversity Day. Technology and needs have evolved and the forthcoming meeting of the Informal Advisory Committee of the Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM-IAC) will discuss options to face this new challenge.