CMS at UN Biodiversity COP15

 

Represented by Amy Fraenkel, the Executive Secretary, the CMS Secretariat is present in Montreal, during the negotiations, working groups and side events of the UN Biodiversity COP15. 

Learn more about the Relevance of the Global Biodiversity Framework to the Convention on Migratory Species – Analysis


Read Amy Fraenkel's joint Op-Ed with Marco Lambertini, Director-General of WWF: COP15: We are Losing Nature – Biodiversity – at the Fastest Rate in Human History


CBD COP15 Opening Statement of CMS Executive Secretary on behalf of the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions (BLG) (7 December 2022)


High-Level Segment - UN Biodiversity COP15: Statement from CMS Executive Secretary (15 December 2022)

CMS Recommendations on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)

The CMS Secretariat has shared a set of recommendations for possible text changes with respect to reflecting CMS priorities in both versions of the draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), resulting from the fourth meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group on the GBF (WG2020-4, Nairobi, June 2022) and the Informal Group consultations (Montreal, September 2022). 

These recommendations are provided to support upcoming negotiations to be held at the WG2020-5, which is expected to advance significantly the development of the GBF for consideration and adoption by the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15, 7-19 December 2022). 

CMS focal points and stakeholders are encouraged to consider these recommendations and to liaise with CBD focal points and others who will attend the Montreal meetings to ensure that CMS priorities are reflected in the GBF.

Additional recommendations on operational aspects of the GBF that will be taken up only at COP15, as well as on other COP15 agenda items of interest to CMS, may be provided at a later stage.

Read Related Notification

 

CMS priorities for goals & targets

Five key priorities for the GBF were agreed by CMS COP13:

  1. Ecological connectivity to be reflected effectively in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
    • Ecological connectivity is a fundamental requirement for functioning ecosystems and for migratory species. To be effective, spatial planning should include connectivity as a key criterion for determining which areas to establish as protected areas, and/or as areas of priority for restoration. But ecological connectivity goes beyond the bounds of protected areas and single-site protection, and spatial planning should consider measures to ensure functional connectivity involving networks of sites that have some level of protection. Sites relevant for migratory species may include multiple-use areas along migratory routes within built or transformed landscapes, as well as less modified areas.
    • The 2019 IPBES Global Assessment found that connectivity had not been adequately addressed by governments under the framework of the Aichi Targets. Thus, it is vital that the GBF accurately and effectively addresses ecological connectivity.
  2. Effectively address the conservation needs of threatened species and species with an unfavourable conservation status, including goals and targets to halt species declines.
    • Extinction of species and collapsing abundance and distribution of populations are worsening. The Global Framework needs to go beyond objectives that simply define types of response activity, and define recovery outcomes in terms of (for example) abated pressures, halted extinctions and sustainable population levels.
    • The GBF needs to state clearly, in all relevant targets, that any use of wild species must be legal and sustainable.
  3. Provisions encouraging Parties to include in their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) appropriate reference to other biodiversity-related conventions to which they are also Parties, ensuring effective liaison between the respective national focal points so as to reflect the priorities and align the efforts made under the various agreements.
    • One of the most effective means to ensure better coordination of implementation efforts under the various MEAs is to reflect them, as relevant for each country, in NBSAPs. This has been called for in numerous COP decisions of CBD, CMS and other MEAs.
  4. Recognition of the role of the various biodiversity-related Conventions as well as other relevant MEAs, for effective implementation, monitoring, and review of the post2020 global biodiversity framework.
    • Coordinated delivery of the GBF will be most effectively ensured if it explicitly recognizes the contribution that relevant MEAs will make.
  5. Promote transboundary and international cooperation for the implementation of the new Global Biodiversity Framework.
    • While implementation of the GBF is principally a matter for each CBD Party, aspects of the GBF will only be achievable if there is international cooperation (e.g., transboundary, regional and global) to implement them. The Aichi Targets omitted this key point, and it is important that it is reflected clearly in the GBF. This would also facilitate the provision of funding for transboundary, regional and globally-shared conservation priorities.

 

Current status of CMS priorities in the GBF and the way forward

Both versions of the GBF text reflect a number of the CMS priorities listed above. For instance, ecological connectivity is included in numerous elements of the GBF (i.e. Goal A and Targets 1, 3 and 12) concerning spatial and urban planning and development of protected and other conserved areas. It is bracketed in the Target 2 (restoration) version resulting from the WG2020-4 while it is absent in the Target 2 version of the Informal Group. The wording of other elements of the GBF continues to require further attention. First, greater ambition is needed for addressing extinction and overexploitation of species in Targets 4 and 5 respectively. Second, of major concern for CMS is that the text regarding taking of species in Targets 5 and 9 must be absolutely clear that any taking of wild species must be sustainable and legal; currently, the text of these two targets is not consistent or clear on this fundamental point. Third, while light and noise are suggested for inclusion as sources of pollution harmful to biodiversity and ecosystems in the text of Target 7, other contaminants which are highly detrimental to wildlife and human health should be included, such as lead.

Read the specific text recommendations

 

CMS at COP15 Side Events

The following table shows the list of side events where the CMS Secretariat is co-host or panelist. 




  Date and Venue Event Theme/Questions/topics
Side-event 08-Dec CMS Side Event #5159 Title: Connecting the crises: Integrating ecological connectivity in the post-2020 GBF to combat biodiversity loss, climate change, land degradation and the next pandemic
13:15-14:45hrs CMS | UNCCD | WWF | CLLC | IUCN |UNEP-WCMC | etc 
Asia and the Pacific Meeting Room  
511C-F  
08-Dec WWFUS Side-Event #4829 Title: Nature-Positive Infrastructure: Connecting Communities – Safeguarding the Planet   
13:15-14:45hrs WWF | ADB | AfDB | UNEP | Colombia | Nepal | TNC | WCS | CMS | etc 
CEE Mtg room  
510A  
Business & Biodiversity 12-Dec Biodiversity & Business Forum Topic of panel “Biodiversity, climate and the energy transition”
14:30hrs Speak on: 
Venue Palais de congrès The need to address climate change and biodiversity loss together, the need to identify solutions to address impacts and tradeoffs and key solutions to an equitable transition
Side-event 13-Dec ADB Side-Event #4534 Title: Sustainable Infrastructure for Biodiversity Conservation in Asia 
16:00-17:30hrs ADB | WWF | CMS | Philippines | Fidji | Nepal | India  Topic: “Infrastructure that works for people and migratory species”. 
Side-event 2    
512F    
14-Dec BLG Side-Event #4979 Title: Mobilising the biodiversity related Conventions on the implementation of the Post-2020 GBF
   
13:15-14-45hrs CBD | CITES | CMS | Ramsar | IPPC Secretariat | ITPGRFA 
JUSCANZ meeting room  
15-Dec EMG Side-Event #4955

UN EMG

Title: United Nations Heads of Agencies Dialogue: Pledging Commitments to implement the common approach on Biodiversity and the post-2020 GBF
16:30-18  
  Topic: Post 2020 Framework Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity Sustainable Development / Millennium Development Goals (NBSAPs)
Asia Pacific Meeting room  
High-Level Segment 15-Dec High-Level Session Theme: “Ecological Civilization-Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth”
16:50    
  Plenary session  
Plenary session
High-level special events
High-level special events  
CITIES Pavilion 16-Dec CITIES Pavilion Title: Beyond boundaries: the role of cities and regions in taking local action for global wetlands & migratory species. 
10-12hrs  
  Session to be co-hosted and co-organized by CMS
CITES Pavilion  
Last updated on 21 May 2023
Dates
05 Dec 2022 to 19 Dec 2022
URLCBD COP15