Information

Taking note of the information provided by the reports contained in documents UNEP/CBD/COP/2/9 and UNEP/CBD/COP/2/8 and the collaboration between the Secretariat of the Convention and the Secretariat of the restructured Global Environment Facility,

1. Decides that the restructured Global Environment Facility shall continue to serve as the institutional structure to operate the financial mechanism under the Convention on an interim basis, in accordance with Article 39 of the Convention, until a decision will be taken on which institutional structure is to be designated in accordance with Article 21 of the Convention. The Conference of the Parties shall endeavour to make such a decision at its third meeting;

2. Decides to undertake the first review of the effectiveness of the financial mechanism at its fourth meeting in 1997 and a review every three years. The first review will be carried out within the basic approach described in document UNEP/CBD/COP/2/9;

3. Requests the Executive Secretary to further develop guidelines of the review for consideration and decision by the Conference of the Parties at its third meeting, taking into account comments made by participants at its second meeting and/or provided by Parties in writing to the Secretariat not later than the end of February 1996;

4. Takes note of the draft "Memorandum of Understanding Between the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Council of the Global Environment Facility Regarding the Institutional Structure Operating the Financial Mechanism of the Convention", jointly prepared by the Secretariats of the Convention and the restructured Global Environment Facility, and requests the Secretariat of the Convention to continue consultations on the draft Memorandum of Understanding, in order to ensure that comments by Parties are reflected, and to submit a revised draft Memorandum of Understanding for consideration and decision by the Conference of the Parties at its third meeting;

5. Requests the interim institutional structure operating the financial mechanism to facilitate urgent implementation of Article 6 of the Convention by availing to developing country Parties financial resources for projects in a flexible and expeditious manner;

6. Requests the interim institutional structure to incorporate fully, on an ongoing basis, guidance from the Conference of the Parties into the further development of the Operational Strategy and programmes to ensure that the objectives of the Convention are addressed. The Conference of the Parties requests the Global Environment Facility to take the following comments into account when preparing the report to be submitted to the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties:

(a) Detailed information should be provided on the conformity of the approved work programmes with the guidance of the Conference of the Parties;

(b) A list of projects submitted by eligible country Parties and information on their status should be included;

7. Takes note of the recently adopted revised project cycle and the Operational Strategy which are anticipated to contribute to more timely approval and implementation of projects, and further requests the Global Environment Facility to take any additional appropriate steps to expedite the project preparation and approval process with a view to implementing fully the guidance of the Conference of the Parties contained. in Annex I to decision I/2 on financial resources and mechanism entitled "Policy, strategy, programme priorities and eligibility criteria for access to and utilization of financial resources" (UNEP/CBD/COP/1/17);

8. Requests participation of a representative of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice of the Convention and of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel of the Global Environment Facility in respective meetings of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel on a reciprocal basis, as provided for in the modus operandi of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and in the terms of reference of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel;

9. Requests the Executive Secretary to:

(a) Further explore possibilities to identify additional financial resources to support the objectives of the Convention;

(b) Continue to monitor the availability of additional financial resources and further identify where and how country Parties might gain access to these resources;

(c) Study characteristics specific to biodiversity activities to allow the Conference of the Parties to make suggestions to funding institutions on how to make their activities in the area of biodiversity more supportive of the Convention;

10. Recommends, for more effective implementation of its policies, strategies and programme priorities, that the Global Environment Facility explore the possibility of promoting diverse forms of public involvement and more effective collaboration between all tiers of government and civil society, including the feasibility of a programme of grants for medium-sized projects. Such exploration should take into account the eligibility criteria set out by the Conference of the Parties in Annex I to decision I/2 on financial resources and mechanism, contained in document UNEP/CBD/COP/1/17;

11. Requests the interim institutional structure to implement the relevant provisions of the following decisions: II/3 on clearing-house mechanism, II/7 on consideration of Articles 6 and 8 of the Convention, II/8 on preliminary consideration of components of biological diversity particularly under threat and action which could be taken under the Convention, and II/17 on form and intervals of national reports by Parties;

12. Requests the Executive Secretary to present a report to the Conference of the Parties at its third meeting on the implementation of the present decision.