Mountain to Mountain Cooperation. Sustainable use of biodiversity, including genetic resources in the Himal-Andes, 12-30 june 2006

Report of an electronic conference organised by Mountain Forum in association with the Mountain Partnership, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, and the HimalAndes Initiative.

The e-conference was organised with the expectation that it would generate a valuable exchange of ideas, experiences and lessons learnt in the management of the two critical mountain regions of the world and help to strengthen existing alliances as well as create new ones to conserve and manage biodiversity, now and in the future. This e-conference, importantly, built on the various ongoing activities of the Mountain Partnership members to learn from other models of development as well as to enhance dialogue and engage in a process of mutual exchange of experiences between the world’s mountain regions, including the Carpathians, Balkans, Caucasus, and European Alps.
The e-conference focused specifically on the rich agroecological traditions of both regions and in the identification of avenues for future cooperation through partnership arrangements. The e-conference was conducted through four sessions with the overall theme of cooperation, opportunities for exchanges, the normative and legal framework for establishing an Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism, and prospects and challenges.