Introduction: Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN)

Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN): An Overview

The Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN) is an intergovernmental initiative intended to promote greater coordination among Western Hemisphere countries in collection, sharing, and use of environmental information. The proposal to develop IABIN was an element of the final "Hemispheric Plan of Action" adopted by the leaders of South, Central, and North American nations in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia in December 1996 at the Summit on Sustainable Development. The Action Plan included a commitment that the parties would

" seek to establish an Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network, primarily through the Internet, that will promote compatible means of collection, communication and exchange of information relevant to decision-making and education on biodiversity conservation as appropriate, and that builds upon such initiatives such as the Clearing House Mechanism provided for in the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Man and the Biosphere Network (MABNET Americas) and the Biodiversity Conservation Information System (BCIS), an initiative of nine IUCN programs and partner organizations. (Initiative 31)

The United States government has identified the Network as one of the Summit commitments on which the U.S. will place particular emphasis in its followup activities, and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has been selected as the lead U.S. agency for implementing the initiative. Prior to the Summit, discussions were held between DOI, the Brazilian Environment Ministry, the Mexican Biodiversity Commission (CONABIO), and several Canadian agencies, and the concept was endorsed by U.S. nongovernmental representatives at pre-Summit consultations. The U.S. seeks now to expand these consultations to include other western hemisphere nations and a wide range of nongovernmental partners.

In general, U.S. views of the network are consistent with the approach taken in developing the U.S.-based National Biological Information Infrastructure. No new institutions or large centralized databases are envisioned; the focus would be on coordination of distributed data stewards. The network would focus on standards and protocols for describing and communicating biological information, including taxonomic data, text, and remote sensing images. A second focus will be on identification of priorities regarding the types of data most in need, and development of technical approaches and collaborative efforts to address key gaps. An additional focus might be on gaps in technical resources (computers, Internet connections) for obtaining and using biodiversity information in decision-making. It is hoped that regional and hemispheric consensus on these priorities can focus both government and private investment in collection and distribution of biodiversity information, and in the infrastructure needed to do so efficiently, in ways that individual country or nongovernmental efforts cannot.

The underlying principle behind these focal areas is that IABIN should not supplant any existing information or networking efforts; rather, it should identify actions that increase the interoperability of current efforts, and strengthen, link, and complement existing activities.

In March 1997, Brazil announced its intention to convene a substantial planning and implementation meeting in early 1998. This meeting would be the first meeting of an intergovernmental working group that would guide the network's activities. The U.S. strongly encourages nongovernmental participation in preparations for the conference, the conference itself, and in country delegations to the intergovernmental working group.