In Windhoek, World Builds Synergies for Sustainable Land Management, Biodiversity Protection and Climate Change

Rio Conventions Pavilion a success at UNCCD COP 11

Windhoek, Namibia 27 September 2013. Over 2000 delegates attending UNCCD’s COP11 came to the Rio Conventions Pavilion and joined in the conversation on synergistic approaches to achieving a land-degradation neutral world and supporting sustainable livelihoods.

The dialogues ranged from target setting for land degradation neutrality, to ecosystem restoration and adaptation to climate change. Resource mobilization was also discussed, as well as sustainable land management and the role of women and men in combatting land degradation. Among the variety of themes, common threads emerged: there is an awareness of the need for synergistic implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), but more work is needed at the national level to make this a reality.

“The Rio Conventions Pavilion at the UNCCD COP 11 has been a wonderful space for learning and dialogue. We have been overwhelmed by the high turn-out of participants from governments - including ministers and ambassadors - international organizations and civil society who shared experience and debated emerging ideas that might better combat desertification, land degradation and drought. Participants explored the linkages between climate change, biodiversity and sustainable land management and these interactive Rio Pavilion sessions brought new opportunities for concerted action to the fore. ” Said Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD.

“Evidence and innovation from the grassroots support the vision of a land-degradation neutral world. In a changing climate it will help bring the objective of food security and poverty eradication through enhanced livelihoods for rural communities around the world much closer to reality, especially in drylands” he said.

One of the best attended programmes of parallel events held at the COP, the Rio Conventions Pavilion brought together key actors from Parties to the UNCCD, international organizations, academia and civil society, in interactive dialogues and presentations that communicated the co-benefits from a coordinated implementation of the CBD, the UNCCD and the UNFCCC, the three ‘Rio conventions’.

Organisations that contributed to the vibrant programme included, UNDP, FAO, IAEA, the Global Mechanism, ICRAF, IUCN, The University of Namibia, The Green Wall initiative, The Korean Forest Service, NEPAD, and others.

One of the core partners in the Rio Conventions Pavilion is the Secretariat of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). On 23 September, the GEF organized a full day of sessions related to resource mobilization for land degradation. As a financial mechanism of the UNCCD the GEF used this opportunity to present an overview of the 6th Replenishment programming, to launch a new publication on "Two decades of experience - investing in ecosystem services and adaptation for food security", to outline the GEF-6 strategies for the land degradation focal area, to show incentive mechanisms on sustainable forest management (SFM) / REDD+; and to consult on the draft GEF-6 Signature Programs.

A number of information products were launched at the Rio Conventions Pavilion, including a Land for Life magazine, a review of 20 years of GEF experience in investing in Africa, a CBD report on the economic valuation of ecosystem services, a UNDP publication outlining case studies of community-led development initiatives and a joint publication of GIZ, GEO magazine and the CBD, on communicating climate change.

The Rio Conventions Pavilion at Windhoek was made possible by the support of the Government of Namibia, along with contributions from the Equator Initiative, World Indigenous Network, United Nations Development Programme, the German Development Cooperation (GIZ/BMZ), and other partners.

Photos and coverage of the activities at the Rio Conventions Pavilion are available either on the website www.riopavilion.org or through the coverage of IISDs Earth Negotiations Bulletin: http://www.iisd.ca/desert/cop11/pavilion/

Rio Conventions Pavilion convenes at UNCCD COP 11

Under the overarching theme of Shaping our Future: Rio+20 outcome follow-up and moving towards the post 2015 development agenda, the three Rio Convention Secretariats (Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) are pleased to announce that the Rio Conventions Pavilion (RCP) will convene at the eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, being held in Windhoek, Namibia, 16-27 September 2013.

In The Future We Want, the outcome document adopted at Rio+20, countries recognized the challenges of desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) to sustainable development (paragraphs 205 – 209).

The RCP programme will highlight actions that parties are undertaking to address the Rio +20 outcomes. Now is a crucial opportunity to shape the post-2015 development agenda to emphasize the role of land degradation, biodiversity and climate change to sustainable development.

What: The Rio Conventions Pavilion is a platform for raising awareness and information-sharing about the latest practices and scientific findings on the co-benefits that can be realized through integrated approaches in implementation of the three Rio Conventions. It is a collaborative effort between the Secretariats of the three Rio Conventions and the Global Environment Facility, in addition to a growing list of other global and local partners. The Pavilion will feature a full programme of events.

When: 17 - 26 September 2013.

Where: Windhoek, Namibia. The RCP is located in the main COP conference venue, in Marquee 3 of the Windhoek Country Club, adjacent to the Plenary Hall.

Programme highlights include:
· 17/09/13: Indigenous and Local Community Sustainable Land Managers (organized by
UNDP/Equator Initiative and other partners)
· 18/09/13: Target setting approach (Desert Research Foundation of Namibia, Korea Forest Service, UNCCD, USDA, IUCN)
· 19/09/13: Land Degradation Neutrality (World Indigenous Network, UNDP, CBD, IUCN, ICRAF, GEF)
· 20/09/13: Ecosystem Restoration (ICRAF, GEF, CBD, UNCCD, African Union Commission, CILSS, IUCN, OSS, FAO, World Bank, GM, GEF, EC)
· 23/09/13: Resource Mobilization (GEF and partners)
· 24/09/13: Landscape Approach (ICRAF, GIZ, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNCCD, South Africa DEA, UNFCCC, CBD, Global Mechanism)
· 25/09/13: Gender Policy Forum (University of Namibia, UNCCD, UNDP, and partners)
· 26/0913: Sustainable Land Management (Drynet, WOCAT, NEPAD, Initiatives of Change, IAEA)
Non-registered UNCCD COP11 delegates: Event coverage is available through the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) and Climate Change TV.

Programme updates and media coverage: www.riopavilion.org

Detailed RCP programme at UNCCD COP 11: www.riopavilion.org/programme-unccdcop11-
windhoek/)

For more information, please contact: info@riopavilion.org. or David Ainsworth, Information Officer for the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (david.ainsworth@cbd.int)

About the Rio Conventions Pavilion:

A platform for raising awareness and sharing information about the latest practices and scientific findings on the co-benefits that can be realized through implementation of the three Rio Conventions, the Rio Conventions Pavilion is a collaborative effort between the Secretariats of the three Rio Conventions and the Global Environment Facility, in addition to a growing list of other global and local partners. Launched during the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, the Rio Conventions Pavilion first convened at the margins of the tenth CBD Conference of the Parties (CBD COP10) in Nagoya, Japan. The Pavilion has since convened at the UNFCCC COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico; UNCCD COP 10 in Changwon, Republic of Korea; UNFCCC COP 17 in Durban, South Africa; UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil (Rio +20 Earth Summit); and CBD COP11 in Hyderabad, India.

Through highlighting various themes and cross-cutting issues relevant to the three Rio Conventions, and their common objective to support sustainable development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Pavilion enables identification of synergies and co-benefits for the implementation of the three Rio Conventions.

Biodiversity at the centre of sustainable development: CBD Executive Secretary Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias briefs UN Secretary-General, senior UN officials

Montreal, 7 February 2013 – In a working visit to United Nations headquarters in New York from 14 to 16 January 2013, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Executive Secretary Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias briefed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the major outcomes of the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11), underlining the importance of these decisions for the sustainable development agenda.

During his meeting with the Secretary-General, Mr. Dias solicited his support for the mainstreaming of biodiversity in the sustainable development agenda of the UN, through system-wide implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Targets. They further discussed the status of ratifications of the Nagoya Protocol, which the Secretary-General heralded as a “historic breakthrough” and a “major success for the international community” on its adoption in 2010. Also discussed was the support that the UN could provide in facilitating the ratifications necessary for the entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol, in order to allow the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol to be convened concurrently with the next COP.

Preparations for COP 12, scheduled to be held in the Republic of Korea 2014, were also touched upon. Mr. Dias also met with a range of senior UN officials. These included HE Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharya, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States, to discuss the relevance of the Strategic Plan for the preparations and outcomes of the Third International Conference for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the comprehensive Ten-Year Review Conference of the Almaty Programme of Action: Addressing the Special Needs of Landlocked Developing Countries within a New Global Framework for Transit Transport Cooperation for Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries.

Meetings were also held with the Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Africa, HE Maged Abdelaziz; Ms. Amina Mohammed, Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on the post-2015 development planning; and, Ms. Shamshad Akhtar, the Secretary-General’s Senior Advisor on Economic Development and Finance and Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). Mr. Dias briefed them on major developments in the Convention’s processes, especially with regards to the Strategic Plan, and solicited their support for mainstreaming biodiversity in the UN processes to evolve the Sustainable Development Goals and the post-2015 development agendas.

Enhanced cooperation between the CBD and the UN Funds and Programs, with a view to mainstreaming biodiversity, was discussed in a meeting with Rebeca Grynspan, Associate Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Collaboration to mainstream gender in biodiversity, based on the Convention’s Gender Action Plan, was discussed with UN Women Executive Director, Michelle Bachelet.

Mr. Dias also met with officials in the DESA to discuss preparations for the special briefing event, mandated by the UN General Assembly (UNGA), to be organised in the second committee, during the 68th session of the UNGA; and, officials in the Department of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Seas, to brief them on relevant COP 11 outcomes and possibilities for cooperation.

In his meeting with the Deputy Representative of Kazakhstan, HE Akan Rakhmetullin (representative of the Chairman of the 20th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)), Mr. Dias discussed biodiversity and biotechnology, issues which remain unaddressed in the CSD’s work program, and the need to ensure that biodiversity is given due consideration.

As outreach to, and interactions with, member States and interest groups was a major focus of his visit, Mr. Dias met with the Chairman of the G-77 and Permanent Representative of Fiji, HE Peter Thomson. At a lunch meeting organised by the Embassy of Brazil, he also met with HE Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, the Permanent Representative of Brazil, the Permanent Representative of India (and a representative of the COP Presidency) HE Hardeep Puri, as well as the Deputy Head of the EU delegation to the UN, HE Ioannis Vrailas.       

United Nations General Assembly resolutions highlight contribution of the Convention on Biological Diversity for oceans agenda and implementation of Rio + 20 outcomes.

Montreal 21 December 2012. The 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly has recognized the importance of recent decisions adopted by the Conference of the parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including those dealing with implementation of the global oceans agenda and realization of the outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development “Rio + 20” - “the future we want.”

The extensive references to the CBD and the results of its eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) in the resolutions of the General Assembly1 demonstrate the increasing recognition of the importance of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for sustainable development. Echoing the outcomes of the Rio+20 Conference, the general Assembly noted the Aichi Biodiversity Targets including the target for the protection of at least 10% of marine and coastal areas by 2020.

Recognizing that the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 is a comprehensive framework for the biodiversity related Conventions and the entire United Nations system. Governments noted the efforts to mainstream the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in the contribution of the United Nations system to support the Strategic Plan for biodiversity 2011-2020, and invited the United Nations system to continue facilitating cooperation among its members in support of the implementation of the Strategic Plan;

The General Assembly also welcomed the Conference of the Parties decision on resource mobilization, which called for an overall substantial increase of total biodiversity-related funding for the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2011-2020 from a variety of sources.

The General Assembly invited parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to ratify or accede to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from Their Utilization, so as to ensure its early entry into force and its implementation.

The role of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in the protection of the world’s oceans was extensively referred to in its Resolution on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (Resolution 67/78). Governments noted with appreciation the overall scientific and technical work carried out under the CBD related to marine and coastal habitats, emphasizing the importance of the ecosystem approach. In particular, they highlighted the recent work, within the framework of the CBD, to describe ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs) according to agreed scientific criteria.

The General Assembly further recognized the work of the CBD related to oceans and climate change mitigation and adaptation, referring to COP 11 decisions relating to ocean acidification, and the regulation of ocean fertilization and other forms of so-called “geo-engineering.” The General Assembly expressed its gratitude to the governments of India for hosting COP-11 and welcomed the decision to hold COP-12 in the Republic of Korea. It also noted with appreciation the recent appointment of the new Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, and expressed their support for his tenure.

Eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity

The final report of the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity is now available at: http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/cop/cop-11/official/cop-11-35-en.pdf

The text of this notification is also available on the CBD website at: http://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2012/ntf-2012-147-cop11-en.pdf

At the United Nations Biodiversity Conference, Countries Agree to Double Resources for Biodiversity Protection by 2015

Biodiversity-Rich Marine Areas in Focus as Countries Renew Efforts to Curb Species Loss

Hyderabad (India), 20 October 2012 - The world's Governments have agreed to increase funding in support of actions to halt the rate of loss of biodiversity at the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, which ended today.

Developed countries agreed to double funding to support efforts in developing States towards meeting the internationally-agreed Biodiversity Targets, and the main goals of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.

The Sargasso Sea, the Tonga archipelago and key corals sites off the coast of Brazil are among a range of marine areas to receive special attention by Governments as part of renewed efforts agreed in Hyderabad to sustainably manage the world's oceans. Many of the areas are beyond national jurisdictions and, as such, receive little or no protection at present.

Other key decisions taken include new measures to factor biodiversity into environmental impact assessments linked to infrastructure and other development projects in marine and coastal areas.

Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, said: "These results, coming in a period of economic crisis, demonstrate that the world is committed to implementing the CBD. We see that Governments are moving forward in implementation and seeing biodiversity as an opportunity to be realized more than a problem to be solved." "We now need to move forward in the next two years, under the able leadership of India, the COP 11 President, to consolidate this work and to advance further. I look forward to other pledges in support of the Hyderabad call for Biodiversity Champions that will allow us to realize our goals", he said.

Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan, Minister of Environment and Forests for India, and President of the COP said: "The present economic crisis should not deter us, but, on the contrary, encourage us to invest more towards amelioration of the natural capital for ensuring uninterrupted ecosystem services, on which all life on earth depends."

"The UN Biodiversity Conference in Hyderabad has taken forward the renewed momentum, forged two years ago in Nagoya," said United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UN Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner.

"Countries have sent a clear signal and delivered additional commitments underlining the fact that biodiversity and ecosystems are a development priority and central to a transition to an inclusive Green Economy," added Mr. Steiner.

"Mobilizing the necessary financial resources from the public and private sector needed to ensure achievement of the 2020 targets remains a challenge -- but here in India, many nations including developing economies have signalled their determination and sense of urgency to seize the opportunities by providing much needed additional support," said Mr. Steiner.

Agreements on Funding

Developed countries agreed at the Conference to increase funding to support efforts in developing States towards meeting the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Using a baseline figure of the average annual national spending on biodiversity between 2006 and 2010, developed countries said they would double funding by 2015. The COP also set targets to increase the number of countries that have included biodiversity in their national development plans, and prepared national financial plans for biodiversity, by 2015.

All Parties agreed to substantially increase domestic expenditures for biodiversity protection over the same period. These targets, and progress towards them, will be reviewed in 2014.

For the first time, developing countries at COP 11, including India and several African States, pledged additional funds above and beyond their core funding towards the work of the CBD.

Marine Biodiversity

The 193 Parties to the CBD agreed to classify a diverse list of marine areas, some renowned for containing "hidden treasures" of the plant and animal world, as ecologically or biologically significant.

Earlier this week, UNEP launched its Protected Planet 2012 report which found that half of the world's richest biodiversity zones remain entirely unprotected -- despite a 60 per cent increase in the number of protected areas since 1990.

To meet the Aichi Biodiversity Target of ensuring that 10 per cent of marine areas are protected by 2020, says the UNEP report, an additional 8 million square kilometres of marine and coastal areas would need to be recognized as protected -- an area just over the size of Australia.

Parties to the Convention also called for more research into the potential adverse effects of underwater noise from ships on marine and coastal biodiversity, and highlighted growing concerns regarding marine litter. It also recognized the challenge of climate change impacts on coral reefs, which, Parties agreed, will require significant investment to overcome.

There was also a call to fisheries management bodies to play a stronger role in addressing the impacts of fisheries on biodiversity.

The series of agreements at COP 11 on oceans and coasts builds on the commitment of countries made at the United Nations Rio+20 summit in June to protect and restore marine ecosystems and to maintain their biodiversity.

National Biodiversity Plans

Much of the COP 11 negotiations revolved around practical and financial support for countries in implementing national biodiversity plans to meet the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

In reviewing global progress in implementing such measures, the COP reaffirmed the need for enhanced technical and scientific cooperation among countries, while underlining the potential for enhanced cooperation among developing countries.

To support such efforts, a new National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans Forum (NBSAP Forum) was launched at COP11 by UNEP, CBD, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The online forum provides easy-to-access, targeted information such as best practices, guidelines and learning tools for countries.

UNEP's Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) Initiative also presented a series of practical guides for Governments at COP 11 for integrating the economic, social and cultural value of ecosystems into national biodiversity plans.

COP 11 also agreed to a number of measures to engage the main economic sectors, such as business and development organizations, to integrate biodiversity objectives in their plans and programmes.

Biodiversity, Forests and Climate Change

The COP called for enhanced collaboration between the CBD and UN climate change initiatives including Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+)

Given that forests are home to more than half of all terrestrial species, initiatives such as REDD+, where developing countries can receive payments for carbon offsets for their standing forests, can potentially help achieve international biodiversity targets, as well as those concerned with cutting carbon emissions.

The decision covers technical advice on the conservation of forests, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

However, the COP also noted discussions around the need for biodiversity safeguards relating to REDD+ and similar incentives. Actions such as afforestation in areas of high biodiversity value, or the conversion of natural forests to plantations, for example, may have adverse impacts on biodiversity.

A parallel summit of Cities and Local Authorities was convened with the support of ICLEI. Participants adopted the Hyderabad Declaration on Subnational Governments, Cities and other Local Authorities for Biodiversity, which supports the work of cities to achieve the Global Strategy for Biodiversity and calls for greater coordination between levels of government.

Other COP 11 decisions:

The Conference welcomed the establishment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) earlier this year and recognized the potential contribution it could make to enhance the effectiveness of the Convention. COP requested IPBES to contribute to assessments of the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. It was decided that the Convention's Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice at its next meeting would provide additional explanatory information on the tasks requested from IPBES and that it would convey this information to IPBES before the its second plenary meeting at the end of 2013.

A decision on Article 8(j), relating to indigenous and local communities was adopted which provided a major component of work on customary sustainable use. The decision also advanced three tasks that may contribute to the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol including Guidelines related to prior informed consent, mutually agreed terms and others.

Governments also provided guidance to the preparations for the entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol and agreed that a third meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol will be needed in the upcoming two years. It was further urged to complete a number of tasks in advance of entry into force in a timely manner.

The Conference also saw the launch of the Hyderabad Call for Biodiversity Champions. The programme will accept pledges from Governments and organizations in support of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity. The Government of India this week committed over $50 million as part of the programme.

The Global Environment Facility, the financial mechanism of the Convention, for the first time, was provided with an assessment of the financial resources required to meet the needs of developing countries for implementing the Convention.

For a full list of decisions made at CBD COP 11, please visit: www.cbd.int/cop11 

About the UN Convention on Biological Diversity

Opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and entering into force in December 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. With 193 Parties, the Convention has near universal participation among countries. The Convention seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through scientific assessments, the development of tools, incentives and processes, the transfer of technologies and good practices and the full and active involvement of relevant stakeholders including indigenous and local communities, youth, NGOs, women and the business community. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is a subsidiary agreement to the Convention. It seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology. To date, 164 countries plus the European Union have ratified the Cartagena Protocol. The Secretariat of the Convention and its Cartagena Protocol is located in Montreal. For more information visit: www.cbd.int

About the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Established in 1972, UNEP is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the wise use and sustainable development of the global environment. UNEP works with a wide range of partners, including United Nations entities, international organizations, national governments, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and civil society. UNEP work encompasses assessing global, regional and national environmental conditions and trends; developing international and national environmental instruments; strengthening institutions for the wise management of the environment; facilitating the transfer of knowledge and technology for sustainable development; and encouraging new partnerships and mind-sets within civil society and the private sector. For more information, visit: www.unep.org

UNEP presented the following reports at CBD COP11:

TEEB Water and Wetlands report -- http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentID=2697&ArticleID=9305&l=en

Avoiding Future Famines report -- http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentID=2697&ArticleID=9303&l=en

Protected Planet 2012 report -- http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentID=2697&ArticleID=9308&l=en

TEEB Implementation Guides to Aichi Targets 2, 3 and 11 -- http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentID=2697&ArticleID=9307&l=en

Cities and Biodiversity Outlook report -- http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentID=2697&ArticleID=9302&l=en