New Delhi, Oct 10, IRNA - Differences among member countries emerged on the second day of the 12-day United Nations conference on biological diversity (CBD), over setting national targets for expenditure for the next ten years, an official spokesperson said in Hyderabad.

CBD Secretariat's information officer David Ainsworth said differences emerged when Working Group 2 in the 11th Conference of Parties to the CBD (COP 11) began discussions on resource mobilization, pti reported. The focus was on how nations could raise money to implement the 20 goals set out by the Aichi Biodiversity Targets by 2020, he said.

"There was consensus among some developing countries that each party to the convention should set out a rigorous expenditure target. However, some countries opined that such a target may be premature at this stage," he said.

Aichi Targets include increasing the area of protected land across the world to 17 per cent and protected oceans to 10 per cent.

He said that Working Group 2 was likely to set up a contact group, for in-camera discussions with countries that opposed the proposal to set targets.

The issue of fixing a baseline year for expenditure targets also saw divergent views between opposing groups of countries.

Consensus also evaded the issue of setting up a financial mechanism to raise resources. A second contact group is likely to be set up, if there is no consensus," he said.

It is estimated that over USD 300 billion is required by all 170 member countries to implement the Aichi targets till 2020, he said.

The UN biodiversity meeting kicked off Monday in Hyderabad, capital city of Andhra Pradesh state, to discuss the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-20, its 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the status of biodiversity in world's oceans among others.

The eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to be held from October 8-19, 2012 would review issues like the progress of the strategic plan, process of integration of biodiversity conservation in national policies by governments, the Aichi targets, resource mobilisation, marine and coastal biodiversity and the ratification of Nagoya Protocol.

Over 160 countries are expected to participate in COP 11 and a ministerial segment is planned from October 16 to 19 where heads of state and ministers of environment will engage in discussions related to key themes of the conference.

COP 11 comes just two years into the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, which is dedicated to implementation of our global strategy for biodiversity. During the meeting, a 'Heads of Agencies' meeting will be convened, where key institutions and international organizations will discuss their commitments in support of the biodiversity agenda.