Gangwon Province Gov. Choi Moon-soon said Monday that a historic protocol on genetic resources would take effect during the 12th meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Pyeongchang.

During a news conference at the opening of the United Nations Environment Program-led conference in the Gangwon Province town, Choi said, “The Nagoya Protocol, which will take the initiative in the pharmaceuticals, agriculture and bio industries, will be implemented at this meeting.”

Since the adoption of the CBD in 1992, there has been a call for an international regime to ensure the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources are distributed in a fair and equitable way.

In response, the Conference of the Parties adopted the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing at its 10th meeting in Nagoya, Japan, in 2010.

With the 50 countries’ ratification completed in July, it is scheduled to enter into force on Sunday.

Addressing the opening session, the executive director of the U.N. Environment Program Achim Steiner said a progress report to be published later Monday made for “very sobering” reading.

“It is a document that should make the whole world sit up. It is about all of life on Earth,” Steiner said. “We need to do more ― and do it fast ― to protect the very fabric of the natural world.”

At the CBD’s last meeting, in Hyderabad, India, in 2012, participating countries agreed to double biodiversity aid to developing countries by 2015.

But they did not quantify either the base amount or the target ― and the numbers are still far from agreed.

“All indicators suggest the status of biodiversity continues its decline and requires urgent attention,” said CBD executive secretary Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias.

While the Pyeongchang meeting began on Sept. 16, regular sessions opened on Monday. It runs through Oct. 17.

The convention includes the first meeting for the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing from Oct. 13-17, the Biodiversity Summit for Cities and Subnational Governments from Oct. 13-14 and the High-Level Segment from Oct. 15-16.

At the end of the two-week session, participants will adopt a “Pyeongchang Road Map” that outlines ways to achieve the U.N. sustainable development goals and a “Gangwon Declaration” containing the results of the conference.

By Kim Yon-se and news reports (kys@heraldcorp.com)