The General Assembly,
 
      Reaffirming its resolutions 49/117 of 19 December 1994 and 50/111 of 20
December 1995 on the Convention on Biological Diversity and 49/119 of 19
December 1994 on the International Day for Biological Diversity,
 
      Recalling the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity,
 
      Recalling also Agenda 21, particularly its chapter 15 on the
conservation of biological diversity, and related chapters,
 
      Recalling further the recommendations made at the third session of the
Commission on Sustainable Development on the review of chapter 15 of Agenda 21
on the conservation of biological diversity,
 
      Deeply concerned by the continued loss of the world's biological
diversity and, on the basis of the provisions of the Convention, reaffirming
the commitment to the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable
use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising
out of the utilization of genetic resources,
 
      Emphasizing that the Convention is an important instrument for achieving
sustainable development, taking into account its three objectives,
 
      Noting with satisfaction that most States and one regional economic
integration organization have ratified or acceded to the Convention,
 
      Taking note with appreciation of the generous offer of the Government of
Argentina to host the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the
Convention at Buenos Aires from 4 to 15 November 1996,
 
      Encouraged by the work carried out to date under the Convention,
 
      1.    Welcomes the results of the second meeting of the Conference of
the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, held at Jakarta from 6
to 17 November 1995, as reflected in the report of the meeting, submitted in
accordance with resolution 50/111, and in that context reaffirms the need to
take concrete action to fulfil the three objectives of the Convention, and
takes note of the Jakarta Mandate on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of
Marine and Coastal Biological Diversity, which proposes a framework for global
action;
 
      2.    Takes note of the results of the second meeting of the
Convention's Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological
Advice, held at the seat of the secretariat of the Convention at Montreal,
Canada, from 2 to 6 September 1996, and of the work carried out at the first
meeting of the Open-ended Ad Hoc Working Group on Biosafety, held at Aarhus,
Denmark, from 22 to 26 July 1996;
 
      3.    Encourages those States that have not yet ratified the Convention
to do so;
 
      4.    Recognizes that States Parties have agreed to provide financial
resources for the implementation of the Convention in accordance with article
20, paragraphs 1 and 2, of the Convention;
 
      5.    Invites the Executive Secretary of the Convention to provide to
the General Assembly at its special session in 1997, inter alia, information
on experience gained under the Convention to date and on effective
arrangements for the coordination of activities related to the objectives of
the Convention;
 
      6.    Welcomes the work being carried out under the Convention to
enhance cooperation with the Commission on Sustainable Development and
biodiversity- related conventions, and invites the Conference of the Parties
to the Convention to take into account the outcome of the 1997 special session
at its fourth meeting, when considering ways of promoting greater cooperation
with the United Nations system and the international community in relation to
activities relevant to the objectives of the Convention;
 
      7.    Invites the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological
Diversity to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session and,
pending the outcome of the 1997 special session, to report to the Assembly on
the results of future meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the
Convention;
 
      8.    Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second
session a sub-item entitled "Convention on Biological Diversity".