Mylena Fiori
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Pinhais (Paraná) - The 188 delegations to the 8th Conference of the Parties (COP-8) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in the southern Brazilian city of Curitiba, decided to recommend that the United Nations (UN) establish a moratorium on practices that have a negative impact on biodiversity in marine areas outside national jurisdictions. Deep-sea fishing is one example. Environmental activists tried to get the COP to regulate this matter.

The secretary of Biodiversity and Forests in the Ministry of Environment, João Paulo Capobianco, commented that "it is a reasonable compromise that frustrates those who wanted a ban to be adopted here. But even if there had been a decision of this type, it would have meant nothing, because the COP and the member nations have no control over areas outside their jurisdictions."

According to Capobianco, international waters beyond national jurisdictions are handled in the setting of the UN General Assembly. "There was a degree of premature agitation here regarding how far the COP can go. All the delegations understand that the CBD is an agreement among parties and can only deliberate on matters concerning the parties," he explained.

Translation: David Silberstein