Deadline Extended for Submissions on Biosafety Capacity-Building Activities

The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) is pleased to share an important update from the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) regarding the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. In response to Notification 2025-001, the deadline for submissions on biosafety capacity-building activities has been extended to 31 March 2025.

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety aims to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) to protect biodiversity and human health. As part of the Capacity-Building Action Plan adopted by the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (COP-MOP), Parties, other governments and relevant organisations are encouraged to share information on their biosafety initiatives, including implementation and funding efforts. This information will support global cooperation and inform further capacity-building needs.

Submissions should be made through the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH) using the Submission (SUB) common format, accessible at the following link: BCH Submission Portal. Full instructions on how to upload submissions can be found here.

Additionally, COP-MOP Decision CP-11/13 calls upon Parties to review their national records published in the BCH to ensure accuracy and completeness. This includes verifying that information is up to date, documents are correctly uploaded and provided links are functional. The Compliance Committee under the Cartagena Protocol will review this information at its twentieth meeting.

The IAP encourages all stakeholders to contribute to this vital initiative, helping to strengthen biosafety frameworks globally. For more details, the official notification from the CBD Secretariat can be accessed here.

For further inquiries, please contact the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity at secretariat@cbd.int