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Geneva Meetings 2022: Nations Convene in Geneva to Set Stage for UN Biodiversity Conference (COP-15), Advance Text of Proposed Framework to Safeguard Nature

TUE // 15.3.2022

[Press release - Geneva, Switzerland, 13 March 2022]

Nations Convene in Geneva to Set Stage for UN Biodiversity Conference (COP-15), Advance Text of Proposed Framework to Safeguard Nature

  • UN Biodiversity Conference’s two subsidiary bodies and Open-ended Working Group tasked with developing Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework resume in-person sessions
  • Geneva meetings critical to developing ambitious transformative post-2020 framework and accelerate progress efforts needed to safeguard health of planet
  • Landmark post-2020 framework due for adoption at resumption of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP-15) later this year in Kunming, China.

Three meetings critical to developing an ambitious and transformative post 2020 global biodiversity framework to safeguard nature resume in person sessions on Monday, 14 March in Geneva, Switzerland.

“The world is clearly eager for urgent action to protect nature, said Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. “And we have no time to spare. Together we must ultimately deliver a truly historic agreement that puts us firmly on the path to living in harmony with nature.

Originally scheduled for Geneva from 12 28 January 2022, in person meetings of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 24), the 3rd meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI 3) and the Open-ended Working Group on the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (WG2020 3) resume 14 29 March 2022, at the Centre International de Conférences Genève. These meetings are resumptions of meetings held virtually last year.

SBSTTA 24

Will advance discussions on a monitoring approach for the post-2020 framework. This includes marine and coastal biodiversity, biodiversity and agriculture, biodiversity and health, and invasive alien species. Other issues include synthetic biology, living modified org anisms risk assessment and management and the work programme of the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

SBI 3

Will complete its work on key inputs to the post 2020 framework and lay a firm foundation for its adoption and implementation thereafter at the resumed COP 15. The a genda includes ensuring the framework mobilize s and scales up finance for biodiversity, better aligns investments with the needs of nature and people and facilitates the disclosure of risk s and impacts for nature. Delegates will also advance work on the mechanisms to monitor, report, and review implementation, and to build countries’ capacity to manage and conserve its biodiversity resources, benefit from ecosystem services, and achieve the frameworkframework’s targets. Plans will also be advanced to enhance outreach and public awareness to support biodiversity action, and ensure the framework fully supports rights based approach and respect gender equality and equal access for women to leadership, p articipation and decision making.

SBI-3 also continues its work on implementing the Convention’s other instruments: the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing, and the Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions related to traditional knowledge.

WG2020-3

Discussions will centre on agreeing action needed to reach the 2050 Vision of living in harmony with nature, defining how performance will be tracked and reported, and ultimately determining how succes s will be defined. This includes addressing the five drivers of biodiversity loss land sea use change, unsustainable exploitation, climate change, pollution, and invasive alien species and relevant indirect drivers such as unsustainable production and consumption. Discussions are based on the first draft post 2020 framework released last July, which includes a long term vision to 2050 and medium term milestone mission to 2030 plus 4 goals and 21 actions targets addressing both direct and indirect drive rs of biodiversity loss. Other issues to be covered include resource mobilization, the financial mechanism, and access to digital sequence information from genetic resources and sharing the benefits from their use.

 

Notes to the editors

About the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Opened for signature in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and entering into force in December 1993, the CBD 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 196 Parties, the CBD has near universal participation among countries.

The CBD 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 peoples and local communities, youth, women, NGOs, sub-national actors and the business community.

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing are supplementary agreements to the CBD. The Cartagena Protocol, which entered into force 11 September 2003, seeks to protect biodiversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology. To date, 173 Parties have ratified the Cartagena Protocol. The Nagoya Protocol aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies. Entering into force 12 October 2014, it has been ratified by 135 Parties. 

More information

David Ainsworth
CBD Information Officer
david.ainsworth@un.org

Johan Hedlund,
CBD Associate Information Officer
johan.hedlund@un.org

Terry Collins
tc@tca.tc

 

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