Forest Biodiversity

Forest Biodiversity // Strategic review
Thursday // 3.13.2025

Strategic review and analysis of the current expanded forest biodiversity programme of work in the context of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

 

In its decision 16/12, paragraph 4, the Conference of the Parties (COP), in recalling paragraph 9 of decision 15/4, requested the Secretariat to conduct a strategic review and analysis of the programmes of work of the Convention in the context of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to facilitate its implementation. The COP further requested that, on the basis of this analysis, draft updates of these programmes of work be prepared, taking into account documents prepared for the twenty-sixth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice related to that work, and submit them for consideration by the Subsidiary Body at a future meeting held before the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

Through notification 2025-031, issued 12 March 2025, Parties, other Governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, and relevant organizations were invited to submit views and information relating to the strategic review and analysis of the current expanded programme of work on forest biodiversity in the context of the Framework as soon as possible, but not later than 14 April 2025.

 

Guiding questions

In preparing the submission, Parties and observers may wish to consider the following guiding questions along with the text of the expanded programme of work and the rapid gap analysis as contained in document CBD/SBSTTA/25/INF/1:

Recognizing that the substantive scope of the current expanded forest biodiversity programme of work, including 12 goals, 27 objectives and 130 activities, remains an important tool and is relevant for the implementation of the Framework:  

  • What needs to be incorporated or strengthened in the current expanded programme of work to better align with the Framework? Please refer to the rapid gap analysis (this document contains the rapid analysis of the forest biodiversity programme of work only).
  • How could the approach to implementation of the expanded programme of work be revised to achieve the targets of the Framework? Please refer to the information pertaining to potential actors, timeframes, performance measures and indicators of progress (for the period 2002-2010) contained in the note by the Executive Secretary for reference. 
  • Which goals/objectives/activities of the expanded programme of work are considered a priority to support the national implementation of the Framework by 2030?

 

Background

The expanded forest biodiversity programme of work (PoW) was adopted at COP 6 in 2002 (decision VI/22, Annex) to guide the implementation of the forest agenda towards the 2010 Targets. In 2008, an in-depth review of the implementation of PoW was carried out by the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group and its recommendations were adopted at COP 9 in decision IX/5. The review urged Parties, among other recommendations, to strengthen the implementation of the expanded PoW on forest biodiversity, address as a matter of priority major human-induced threats to forest biodiversity, mainstream and address threats in NBSAPs, improve forest biodiversity monitoring and reporting, increase cross-sectoral cooperation and promote multidisciplinary scientific research. 

Until the adoption of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, the forest biodiversity PoW guided the negotiation and led to the adoption of several forest biodiversity decisions. After the adoption of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, the forest biodiversity PoW has not been revised to align with the new strategic directions and no forest biodiversity decision has been adopted since COP13 in 2016.

Under the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, several Aichi Biodiversity Targets, specifically Targets 5, 14, and 15, addressed the loss of forest biodiversity. Based on the assessment of the Global Biodiversity Outlook 5, none of the three targets has been achieved reporting that despite the slowing rate of deforestation, loss, degradation and fragmentation of habitat remain high in forests, especially in tropical regions. 

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims at sustaining biodiversity in all types of ecosystems. While there is no specific target for forests in the Framework, but recognizing that more than 80% of terrestrial biodiversity occurs in forest habitats, there is a strong fundamental relationship expressed through most of the targets to many aspects of conservation and sustainable management of forests and to sustaining the biodiversity that resides in these ecosystems. 

 

Additional guidance material

 

Resources: