Recognizing the urgent need to improve capacity for mainstreaming the three objectives of the Convention into poverty eradication strategies and plans (e.g. Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, national development plans) and development processes as a means to enhance the implementation of Convention and the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and enhance their contribution to sustainable development and human well-being,
Aware of the large number of existing processes, mechanisms and institutions addressing poverty eradication and the need to mainstream relevant biodiversity and ecosystem services considerations within existing platforms and initiatives,
Noting the "Message from Paris" from the Conference on Biodiversity in European Development Cooperation in September 2006,
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Recalling the outcomes of the expert meeting on mainstreaming biodiversity in development cooperation held in Montreal from 13 to 15 May 2009 and hosted by the Executive Secretary
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Noting the Policy Statement on Integrating Biodiversity and Associated Ecosystem Services into Development Co-operation endorsed by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
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Welcoming the high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on 22 September 2010 as a contribution to the International Year of Biodiversity,
1.Calls for enhanced efforts to promote capacity-building for mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services into broader poverty eradication and development processes as a means to contribute to the implementation of the Convention and its Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, including the Millennium Development Goals, especially for developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition;
2.Calls for active involvement and commitment of development cooperation agencies and implementing agencies in supporting the mainstreaming of biodiversity and ecosystem services into poverty eradication and development processes, as appropriate;
3.Calls upon all the partners and stakeholders involved in biodiversity and development processes and programmes to strengthen coordination in order to avoid duplication and to facilitate coherence, synergies and complementary strategies and working approaches aimed at sustainable development and poverty eradication;
4.Notes that it is essential to share experiences between countries on how to mainstream and build capacity and to strengthen the scaling up of good practices on sustainable development and poverty eradication;
5.Welcomes the increased efforts and attention to mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services into poverty eradication and development;
6.Notes, in efforts to integrate biodiversity into poverty eradication and development processes, the importance of:
(a)Scientific information and the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and their participation in accordance with Article 8(j) and related provisions of the Convention;
(b)Mainstreaming gender considerations and the promotion of gender equality;
(c)A South-South cooperation forum on biodiversity for development, the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity-Building, and other processes and the need for effective coordination;
(d)Enhanced communication and outreach on the inter-linkages between poverty eradication, development and biodiversity;
7.Notes the potential usefulness of a long-term global effort utilizing regional and national development organizations as nodes for South-South and North-South cooperation to assist country driven processes for an effective mainstreaming of biodiversity and ecosystem services in development processes through capacity-building to enhance environmental governance, biodiversity finance mechanisms and the generation, transfer, and adaptation of biodiversity-related technologies and innovations through the promotion of win-win solutions to development needs;
8.Invites Parties, other Governments, relevant international organizations such as bilateral development cooperation agencies, multilateral development banks, United Nations agencies and non governmental organizations involved in development cooperation, civil society, the business sector and other relevant stakeholders to contribute to an efficient and coordinated effort;
9.In accordance with Articles 12 and 18 of the Convention, invites Parties to intensify their cooperation to strengthen national and regional capabilities to mainstream biodiversity, by means of human resources development and institution building, taking into account the special needs of developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition;
10.In accordance with Article 20 of the Convention, invites developed country Parties, other Governments and donors, and the financial mechanism to provide financial and technical support to developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition, to further develop approaches on the integration of biodiversity into poverty eradication and development processes;
11.Welcomes the initiative of developing countries to prepare and adopt a multi-year plan of action on South-South cooperation on biodiversity for development, the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity-building, as they are relevant processes for the implementation of the framework on capacity-building;
12.Encourages synergies between ongoing initiatives linking biodiversity, development and poverty eradication, such as the Equator Initiative, the ABS Capacity Development Initiative for Africa, the LifeWeb Initiative, the UNCTAD BioTrade Initiative, the Poverty-Environment Initiative, the Biodiversity Technology Initiative, and the Multi-Year Plan of Action for South-South Cooperation;
13.Notes the draft provisional framework for capacity-building on mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services for sustainable development and poverty eradication annexed to
recommendation 3/3 of the Working Group on Review of Implementation of the Convention
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14.Decides to establish an Expert Group on Biodiversity for Poverty Eradication and Development with the terms of reference outlined in the annex to this decision;
15.Requests the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of resources, to:
(a)Convene a meeting of the Expert Group on Biodiversity for Poverty Eradication and Development;
(b)Prepare for this Expert Group, in consultation with relevant partners, an analysis of the existing mechanisms, processes or initiatives for mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services into poverty eradication and development, their strengths and weaknesses and to identify opportunities and threats in order to ensure a focused and concrete contribution to the expert deliberations on the draft provisional framework on capacity-building;
(c)Continue and improve the following activities, while taking into account the outcomes of the Expert Group:
(i)With the relevant partners, identifying, documenting, promoting and where appropriate supporting the best practices and approaches for integrating biodiversity into poverty eradication and development processes;
(ii)Mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services in development cooperation plans and priorities, including the linkage between the Conventions work programmes and the Millennium Development Goals in partnership with development cooperation agencies;
(iii)Promoting, through the clearing-house mechanism and other appropriate means, and in support of the Expert Group on Biodiversity for Poverty Eradication and Development, the sharing of knowledge, experience, communication and awareness on mainstreaming biodiversity for poverty eradication and development;
(iv)Assisting Parties and their regional bodies to establish partnerships and institutional arrangements catalysing triangular cooperation (South-South and North-South cooperation) for capacity-building around regional nodes;
(v)Providing, developing and disseminating further, as necessary and appropriate, sectoral and cross-sectoral tools and best-practice guides on biodiversity and ecosystem services for key stakeholders, including packaging the relevant findings and lessons learned from the implementation of the programmes of work under the Convention as user-friendly and policy-relevant information for addressing the capacity-building needs of various target groups;
(vi)Supporting Parties and regional organizations in fund raising and further engagement of technical assistance for capacity development efforts at the regional and national levels; Provide an estimation of the financial implications for the implementation of the framework on capacity-building on mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services for sustainable development and poverty eradication, including a structured funding arrangement of the regional capacity development nodes;
Annex
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR AN EXPERT GROUP ON BIODIVERSITY FOR POVERTY ERADICATION AND DEVELOPMENT
1.The Expert Group shall further elucidate the linkages between the three objectives of the Convention and poverty eradication and development processes, drawing upon expertise in both communities (biodiversity and development) and to identify the most effective approach towards a framework on capacity development for mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services for sustainable development and poverty eradication, building on existing initiatives and in close cooperation with relevant organizations.
2.The Expert Group shall provide technical input to the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Review of Implementation of the Convention at its fourth meeting in accordance with the following terms of reference:
(a)Review the analysis to be prepared by the Secretariat;
(b)Identify the root causes of poverty that are possibly linked to biodiversity loss and suggest ways and means by which such causes may be removed or remediated by fulfilling the three objectives of the Convention;
(c)Identify means for scaling up good practices and lessons learned and sharing the linkages, between poverty eradication programmes and the three objectives of the Convention for sustainable development at the local, national, regional, subregional and global level;
(d)Provide guidance and priorities for all relevant actors involved in development processes (Governments, sector ministries, implementation agencies and other target groups such as policy-makers, practitioners, scientist, media, education);
(e)Ensure that the full range of biodiversity and ecosystem services considerations are taken into account to ensure that the guidance is consistent with the three objectives of the Convention and its Strategic Plan as well as to all the Millennium Development Goals and the United Nations Millennium Declaration.
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3.The Expert Group shall be regionally balanced and composed of 25 experts nominated by Parties and 15 observers (five experts and three observers from each United Nations region), inter alia, from both biodiversity and development communities, regional bodies or organizations, bilateral development cooperation agencies, multilateral development banks, United Nation agencies, non governmental organizations, the business sector, civil society, indigenous and local communities, and other representatives of stakeholders.
4.The Executive Secretary shall recommend the list of selected experts and observers for the approval of the Bureau.
5.Parties shall take into consideration the need for technical expertise in the Expert Group when nominating their experts.
6.The Expert Group shall be established taking into account the need to draw upon the experience of the relevant international organizations, partnership and initiatives.
7.Parties, regional bodies or organizations, bilateral development cooperation agencies, multilateral development banks, United Nation agencies, non-governmental organizations, the business sector, civil society, research institutes, indigenous and local communities, and other stakeholders shall undertake further work, including through studies and submission of views, on the issue as an input for the work of the Expert Group.
8.The Expert Group shall meet as required to complete its task, subject to the availability of financial resources, and also work through correspondence and teleconferences.
