Implementation
In order to implement the work programme, the COP urged donors and the international community to contribute through financing and technology transfers to nationally or regionally identified priorities for forest biodiversity (
decision VI/22, paragraph 16). COP also agreed that the availability of new and additional finances from public, private, domestic or international sources, along with the transfer of technology and capacity-building, are necessary to facilitate the effective implementation of the expanded programme of work by developing countries (
decision VI/22, paragraph 17). Furthermore, COP 6 requested the Executive Secretary of the Convention to initiate a number of actions to be reported to the ninth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) and COP 7, which would facilitate or complement the national implementation of the expanded programme of work (
decision VI/22, paragraph 19). COP also agreed to establish an Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group (AHTEG) to provide advice for SBSTTA for the review of the implementation of the programme of work (
decision VI/22, paragraph 26).
The AHTEG on the Review of Implementation of the Programme of Work on Forest Biological Diversity held its first meeting in Montpellier, France, from 24 to 27 November 2003.
At its seventh meeting, the COP welcomed the progress made on the implementation of the expanded programme of work (
decision VII/1, paragraph 1) and encouraged Parties and other Governments to take part in, and further develop, cooperation at the regional level in their effort to implement the activities contained in the work programme (
decision VII/1, paragraph 5). The COP also requested the Executive Secretary to organize another meeting of the AHTEG prior to the SBSTTA (
decision VII/1, paragraph 4), and to propose, in collaboration with the AHTEG, outcome-oriented targets to be integrated into the work programme for consideration by the SBSTTA prior to the eighth meeting of the COP (
decision VII/1, paragraph 7). The COP underlined the need to facilitate the full and effective participation of indigenous and local communities and other relevant stakeholders in implementing the expanded programme of work on forest biological diversity by developing local capacities and participatory mechanisms, including women, in assembling, disseminating, and synthesizing information on relevant scientific and traditional knowledge on forest biological diversity (
decision VII/1, paragraph 11).
At its eight meeting (
decision VIII/19), the COP requested the Executive Secretary to strengthen collaboration on issues regarding the promotion of sustainable forest management, to complete the assessment on unauthorized harvesting on fauna (including bushmeat) (see
Technical Series No. 33) and to carry out an
in-depth review of the Implementation of the Programme of Work on Forest Biodiversity.
At its ninth meeting, the COP took note of the findings of this in-depth review and urged parties to strengthen the implementation of the expanded programme though capacity-building and by addressing the obstacles identified in the review (
decision IX/5). The 191 Parties agreed to address as a matter of priority human-induced threats to forest biodiversity, including forest degradation, unsustainable use of forest products and resources, climate change, illegal land conversion, forest fires, and invasive alien species. The COP requested the Executive Secretary to work in close cooperation with existing international, regional and subregional processes, such as the UNFF Secretariat, in implementing the programme of work on forests (
decision IX/5 para 3(a)) and to collaborate with the other members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests to support Parties efforts to address reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (
decision IX/5 para 3(b)). It also requested the Executive Secretary to collect, compile and disseminate information on the relation between forest ecosystem resistance and resilience, forest biodiversity, and climate change (
decision IX/5 para 3(f)) (See
Technical Series No. 43).
