Transcript Jamaica Clearing-House Mechanism (Ja-CHM)

Jamaica Clearing-House
Mechanism (JA-CHM)
(Clearing House of Clearing House)
Sean Townsend
SRO-Ja-CHM
Natural History Division
Institute of Jamaica
Clearing House?
The term "clearing-house" originally referred
to a financial establishment where checks
and bills are exchanged among member
banks so that only the net balances need to
be settled in cash. Today, its meaning has
been extended to include any agency that
brings together seekers and providers of
goods, services or information, thus
matching demand with supply.
Overview
• The Jamaica Clearing-House Mechanism (JA-CHM) is a
national network that gathers and distributes information on
biological diversity via the internet.
• It facilitates access to and the exchange of information in an
efficient, transparent and coordinated manner.
• The CHM was established as one of the activities of the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• Jamaica ratified the Convention in 1995 and the Natural
History Division of the Institute of Jamaica was appointed the
National Focal Point for the JA-CHM 1999.
• The CHM presently houses the portals for biodiversity as well
as biosafety.
Mission Statement
The CHM in accordance with Article 18, section 3,
has been set up to promote and facilitate
technical and scientific cooperation in support
of the CBD and its three objectives:
1)
2)
3)
The conservation of biological
diversity,
The sustainable use of its components,
The fair and equitable sharing of
benefits arising out of the utilization of
genetic resources.
Goals
The CHM has three goals, all of which are necessary for
achieving the objectives of the Convention:
1) Cooperation. Promotion and facilitation of
scientific and technical cooperation.
2) Information Exchange. Development of a global
mechanism for exchanging and integrating
information on biodiversity.
3) Network Development. Development of the CHM
Focal Points and their partners.
Role
“Clearing-House Mechanism" ensure
that all governments as well as the
general public have access to the
information and technologies they
need for their work on biodiversity.
This faciltated by the establishment
of databases that can be accessed
traditionally of electronically
Main Characteristics of any CHM
• Compatible with different levels of national
capacity
• Needs-driven
• Structurally decentralized
• Provides access to information
• Supports decision-making
• Has no vested interest in controlling the
expertise or information
• Created for the mutual benefit of all Parties
and other stakeholders
Region
Total countries CBD Parties
Africa
53
52
Asia and the Pacific
56
54
Central and Eastern Europe
23
23
Latin America and the
Caribbean
33
33
Western European and
Others
31
28
Totals
196
190
Convention on
Biological Diversity
Secretariat CBD
Clearing-House Mechanism
Electronic Media
•Websites
•Database
•Interactive Maps
Scientific & Technical
Cooperation
(Network of Users)
Informal Advisory
Committee (IAC)
CHM Steering
Committee
Print & Traditional
Brochures
Posters
Facts Sheets
CDs
Maps
Website
www.jamaicachm.org.jm
www.jamaicachm.org.jm/BCH
Products of the JA-CHM
•Presentations
•Posters
•Brochures
•Fact Sheets
•Biodiversity Maps
Posters
MAPS
THANK YOU
www.jamaicachm.org.jm