The GE-Tree-Decision of COP-8 in 2006

 Decision VIII/19 Forest biological diversity: implementation of the programme of work

B. Other matters
The Conference of the Parties,
Noting the outcomes derived from the sixth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests as a positive step towards achieving sustainable forest management,
Welcoming in particular, the four shared Global Objectives on Forests agreed at the sixth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests, where Parties committed to work globally and nationally and to make progress toward their achievement by 2015, and noting that the implementation of the expanded programme of work on forest biological diversity will contribute toward the achievement of these four global objectives,
Recognizing the uncertainties related to the potential environmental and socio-economic impacts, including long-term and transboundary impacts, of genetically modified trees on global forest biological diversity, as well as on the livelihoods of indigenous and local communities, and given the absence of reliable data and of capacity in some countries to undertake risk assessments and to evaluate those potential impacts,

1. Instructs the Executive Secretary to continue his engagement in the Collaborative Partnership on Forests;
2. Recommends Parties to take a precautionary approach when addressing the issue of genetically modified trees;
3. Requests the Executive Secretary to collect and collate existing information, including peer-reviewed published literature, in order to allow SBSTTA to consider and assess the potential environmental, cultural, and socio-economic impacts of genetically modified trees on the conservation and sustainable use of forest biological diversity, and to report to the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties;
4. Invites Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations, including indigenous and local communities, as well as relevant stakeholders, to provide relevant views and information to the Secretariat for inclusion in this assessment;