U.S. EXPERTS PREPARE FOR IABIN LAUNCHING IN BRAZIL

More than 100 scientists and information specialists from nations throughout the Western Hemisphere will gather in Brazil early this spring for the "Technical Meeting for the Establishment of the Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network".  This meeting is the official "kick-off" for IABIN, an intergovernmental initiative intended to promote greater coordination among Western Hemisphere countries in the collection, sharing, and use of environmental information.  Participants from all sectors, including government, non-government organizations, academia, industry, and civil society, will attend the four-day event, which is sponsored by the Brazilian Environment Ministry.

To prepare for participation in this major event, experts from the United States met in Alexandria, VA, on October 15-16, 1998, to discuss their vision for IABIN, progress made to date on the network’s development, and guidance and recommendations the U.S. might offer at the international meeting in Brazil.  This U.S. Consultative Meeting on the

Establishment of IABIN was attended by over 60 biodiversity experts, information specialists, educators, technologists, and others interested in the exchange of biodiversity information to support decision-making and education.

Workshop attendees discussed issues related to the U.S. approach to IABIN; identified U.S. technical initiatives relevant to IABIN; concurred on a process to promote wide participation in IABIN throughout the U.S.; and explored issues of governance for an international network (organization and coordination) and informant exchange (legal, institutional and technical) as well as plans for IABIN pilot projects (the first pilot under U.S. leadership is on invasive species).

Brooks Yeager, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy and International Affairs, delivered the keynote address at the workshop’s opening session (see photo).  During his remarks, Yeager noted, "You might call IABIN an open forum for developing common solutions to a broad range of problems in the biodiversity arena.  Exotic invasive species and amphibian declines and deformities are just two serious concerns that come to mind."  He added, "Dealing effectively with these kind of issues is a high priority for the U.S. government."

Information concerning the U.S. Consultative Meeting, as well as other information on IABIN, is available at www.iabin-us.org.

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