News
TCI aiming to sign onto UN Biodiversity Convention on its own behalf
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, December 9, 2022 – As climate change continues to affect the biodiversity of countries worldwide the TCI is taking a momentous step toward protecting its own as the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources, is currently developing legislation to allow the Turks and Caicos Islands to become full signatories to the UN Biodiversity convention.
This is according to Josephine Connolly, Minister of Tourism with responsibility for the Environment in speaking to
The TCI, as it is not a sovereign state, is signed to the UN as a non-self-governing territory and participates in conventions through the UK. It means, when the United Kingdom is present at these vital sessions, it is representing all; overseas territories included.
Connolly explained that a delegation from the TCI was slated to attend The UN conference on Biodiversity or COP15 on Biodiversity but will instead attend virtually due to prior engagements conflicting with the schedule.
“The Convention on Biological Diversity is an international agreement that allows countries to protect the genetic resources of their flora and fauna so that they will not be exploited without the benefits going to the people of the country. For example, if a vital medicine is derived from an endemic plant in the TCI, any profits from the sale and production of that medicine would be given to the TCI,” she said
Connolly added Government was looking forward to an informative session and hoped to gain insight into how the convention is working in the region and what best practices may be adopted to benefit the natural environment and habitats of the Turks and Caicos Islands.