Salima Kempenaer

Three Questions to Salima Kempenaer, National Focal Point on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), and Resource Mobilization

1. What are (and what were) the opportunities and threats in your daily work?

Working for the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity means having to follow many different topics, policies and processes. It’s fascinating but keeping up with every piece of news and every stream of work is challenging.

2. Did bodies like the Belgian National Focal Point to the CBD and/or the Steering Groups Nature/Biodiversity helped to overcome these difficulties, and how?

These bodies have crucial roles in streamlining the information, clarifying and organizing the processes. It helps creating a reliable and transparent environment of work.

3. What are your hopes and wishes in regard to the preparation of next COP15 in Kunming?

Like many others, I hope COP15, along with other decisive moments at the international, European and Belgian levels, will be the true start of a transformative change to make our societies compatible with a healthy living planet.