15.09.2020 IGTC attends UN Biodiversity "special sessions"
This week a group of IGTC volunteers are attending meetings led by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to prepare governmental "Parties" for next year's COP 15 summits that are currently scheduled for May 2021 in Kunming, China. During today's opening session, it was reported that many of the 2020 biodiversity targets have not been officially met, however progress is being made in key areas such as deforestation, protection of endangered species, and over-fishing.

This was also a timely opportunity to launch the UN's 5th Global Biodiversity Outlook and review the Post 2020 global biodiversity framework.

09.09.2020 ePhyto Press release from cross-sector international group
Today the Industry Advisory Group (IAG) of the IPPC ePhyto Solution has issued a press release calling on governments to support the adoption of ePhyto to facilitate international agricultural trade, which would be crucial in safeguarding global food security beyond the Covid-19 recovery period.

IGTC is a member and Co-Chair of the IAG and supports the IPPC ePhyto Solution by providing relevant perspectives from global plant product trade flows including cut flowers, cocoa, cotton, fresh fruit and vegetables, grains, hay and forage, seeds, and wood products.