Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity

The Cartagena Protocol focuses on the transboundary movement of organisms, aiming to secure the safe transfer, handling and utilization of living modified organisms produced from modern biotechnology that may adversely affect the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. The parties to the Protocol are obliged to establish and maintain appropriate mechanisms, measures and strategies to regulate, manage and control risks identified in the risk assessment provision of the Protocol. Each Party shall take appropriate measures to prevent unintentional transboundary movements of living modified organisms, including such measures as requiring a risk assessment to be carried out before the first release of a living modified organism. The Protocol expressly cites the precautionary approach provided in Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development.