The need to develop suitable indicators for monitoring important components of biodiversity is reflected in the most programmes of work developed under the Convention. In its decision VI/7-B, the Conference of the Parties requested the Executive Secretary to convene an expert meeting to provide guidance to Parties on the development of biodiversity indicators. The expert meeting, which took place in Montreal from 10 to 12 February 2003, developed:

• A set of principles for indicator development in the form of a guiding manual on indicator development;
• A list of key questions with reference to the relevant articles of the Convention; and
• A list of tested indicators.

The report is summarized in document UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/9/10. The full report is available as document UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/9/INF/7.

Additional guidance is available from the following sources and publications:

• Levrel, H. 2007. Selecting indicators for the management of biodiversity. Institut français de la biodiversité, Paris, France.
• European Environment Agency 2007. Halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010: proposal for a first set of indicators to monitor progress in Europe. Technical report No 11/2007.
• Hák, T., Moldan, B., Dahl, A.L. 2006. Sustainability indicators: A scientific assessment. Island Press, SCOPE 67
• The Biodiversity Indicators Partnership’s National Biodiversity Indicator Portal
• Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF)
• Biodiversity Information System for Europe (BISE)
• Assessing Large Scale Risks for Biodversity with Tested Methhods (ALARM)
• Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON)
• ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB)
• Programa Estratégico Regional de Monitoreo y Evaluación de la Biodiversidad (PROMEBIO)