Information

The Conference of the Parties,

Having examined the report of the Global Environment Facility (UNEP/CBD/COP/5/7),

Taking note of the note by the Executive Secretary (UNEP/CBD/COP/5/13/Add.1) with respect to previous guidance in relation to agenda items of the fifth meeting, in response to paragraph 4 of decision IV/11,

Taking note with appreciation of the efforts of the Global Environment Facility to provide additional funding for biodiversity enabling activities under expedited procedures, and urging it to continue to improve access to funding by developing country Parties and increase flexibility in its operational criteria,

1. Welcomes the decision of the Council of the Global Environment Facility requesting its secretariat, in consultation with the Implementing Agencies and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, to develop an initial strategy for assisting countries to prepare for the entry into force of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;

2. Decides to provide the following additional guidance to the Global Environment Facility in the provision of financial resources, in conformity with decisions I/1, II/6, III/5 and IV/13 of the Conference of the Parties. In this regard, the Global Environment Facility shall provide financial resources to developing country Parties for country-driven activities and programmes, consistent with national priorities and objectives, recognizing that economic and social development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities of developing countries. The Global Environment Facility, as the institutional structure operating the financial mechanism, should provide support:

(a) For projects utilizing the ecosystem approach, without prejudice to differing national needs and priorities which may require the application of approaches such as single-species conservation programmes, in accordance with decision V/6;

(b) As a priority, for projects which: (i) Implement the Convention’s programme of work on agricultural biodiversity, in accordance with decision V/5, through the timely finalization and implementation of its operational programme on agricultural biodiversity, and through the development and implementation of other relevant operational programmes; (ii) Implement the Convention’s programme of work on biodiversity of dry and sub-humid lands, in accordance with decision V/23, through the development, review and implementation of its operational programmes, in particular, the operational programme on arid and semi-arid ecosystems; (iii) Assist in the implementation of the programme of work on forest biodiversity at the national, subregional and regional levels, and consider the operational objectives of the aforementioned programme of work as guidance for funding, in accordance with decision V/4;

(c) For projects which assist with the development and implementation of the International Initiative for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Pollinators in Agriculture, in accordance with decision V/5;

(d) For capacity-building at the national, subregional and regional level to address the issue of coral bleaching within the context of implementation of the programme of work on marine and coastal biological diversity, in accordance with decision V/3;

(e) For the consultative processes referred to in paragraph 6 of decision V/19, which are aimed at assisting with the preparation of second national reports, taking into account the fact that the Conference of the Parties may develop guidelines for subsequent national reports;

(f) For participation in the clearing-house mechanism of the Convention, in accordance with decision V/14;

(g) For projects that will address the issue of access and benefit-sharing, in accordance with decision V/26;

(h) For projects that incorporate incentive measures that promote the development and implementation of social, economic and legal incentive measures for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, in accordance with decision V/15;

(i) For the implementation of the priority activities identified in the programme of work on Article 8(j) and related provisions, in accordance with decision V/16;

(j) To strengthen capabilities to develop monitoring programmes and suitable indicators for biological diversity, in accordance with decision V/7;

(k) To continue promoting awareness of the Global Taxonomy Initiative in the relevant activities of the Global Environment Facility, such as the Country Dialogue Workshops, and to facilitate capacity-building in taxonomy, including in its Capacity Development Initiative;

(l) For capacity development for education, public awareness and communication in biological diversity at the national and regional levels, in accordance with decision V/17;

(m) For activities to implement the Global Invasive Species Programme, in accordance with decision V/8;

(n) For the implementation of capacity-building measures for developing and implementing national and sectoral plans for the conservation and sustainable use of inland water ecosystems, including comprehensive assessments of the biological diversity of inland waters, and capacity-building programmes for monitoring the implementation of the programme of work and the trends in inland water biological diversity and for information gathering and dissemination among riparian communities