Taking note of
recommendation 5/2 of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Review of Implementation of the Convention, as regards integrated approaches to the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols with a view to improving efficiencies,
Also taking note of the plan for the organization of concurrent meetings of the Conference of the Parties and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meetings of the Parties to the Protocols prepared by the Executive Secretary,
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Recognizing that planning for the organization of concurrent meetings of the Conference of the Parties and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meetings of the Parties to the Protocols is an iterative process,
Recognizing also the need to ensure the availability of financial resources to support the full and effective participation of representatives of developing countries, in particular the least developed and small island developing States, and countries with economies in transition, as well as representatives of indigenous and local communities, in the three concurrent meetings with a view to maintaining legitimacy and transparency,
Aware that the organization of concurrent meetings of the Conference of the Parties and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meetings of the Parties to the Protocols requires streamlining of the agendas of these meetings,
Recalling paragraph 2 of Article 32 of the Convention, paragraph 2 of Article 29 of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and paragraph 2 of Article 26 of the Nagoya Protocol, which provide that decisions under the Protocol shall be taken only by the Parties to the Protocol,
Taking note of
decision BS-VII/9 of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,
1.Recommends that, in future, the high-level segment of the Conference of the Parties be organized as a high-level segment of the Convention and its Protocols;
2.Decides to include an item on the agenda of its future meetings on integrated approaches to the Convention and its Protocols;
3.Also decides to hold its future ordinary meetings within a two-week period that also includes the meetings of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol, as agreed to by the Parties to the Protocol in
decision BS-VII/9, as well as the meetings of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol;
4.Requests the Executive Secretary, in the light of
recommendation 5/2 of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Review of Implementation of the Convention, the experience from the concurrent organization of the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties and the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol, taking into account the views of Parties on their assessment of these meetings as well as the practices and lessons learned under other multilateral environmental agreements, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions cluster:
(a)To further refine the plan for the concurrent organization of the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol, and the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol with a specific focus on the legal, financial and logistical implications;
(b)To prepare a preliminary draft of the organization of work for these meetings;
(c)To take appropriate steps towards streamlining the agendas of the concurrent meetings of the Conference of the Parties and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meetings of the Parties to the Protocols;
(d)To prepare an analysis of the level of participation of Parties, especially developing country Parties, in particular the least developed and small island developing States, and Parties with economies in transition, in the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties and the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol, including a comparison with earlier meetings under the Convention, and possible ways to enhance the level of participation;
(e)To submit this information for consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Implementation at its first meeting;
5.Calls upon developed country Parties to increase their contributions to the relevant voluntary trust funds to ensure the full and effective participation of representatives from developing country Parties, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States among them, and Parties with economies in transition, as well as representatives of indigenous and local communities, in the concurrent meetings, and encourages other Governments and donors to also contribute to that end;
6.Decides to review, at its fourteenth and fifteenth meetings, experience with the concurrent organization of meetings, and, to facilitate this review, requests the Subsidiary Body on Implementation to develop criteria for subsequent consideration and finalization by the Conference of the Parties, taking into account consideration of the criteria by the Conference of the Parties serving as meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol. Such criteria could include:
(a)Full and effective participation of representatives from developing country Parties, in particular the least developed and small island developing States among them, and Parties with economies in transition, as well as representatives of indigenous and local communities, in the meetings of the Conference of the Parties, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol;
(b)Effective development of outcomes of the Conference of the Parties and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol;
(c)Increased integration among the Convention and its Protocols;
(d)Cost-effectiveness.
