. Second Global Biodiversity Outlook

Second Global Biodiversity Outlook

The Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice,

Recalling the guidance of the Conference of the Parties in decision VII/30 concerning the preparation of the second Global Biodiversity Outlook,

1.      Welcomes  the draft outline of the second edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/10/10) , and welcomes the additional advice provided in annex 3 of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Indicators for Assessing Progress towards the 2010 Biodiversity Target (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/INF/10/7);

2.      Agrees that:

(a)      The report should be short, focused, and contain clear and concise messages covering all the focal areas of the framework for assessing progress towards the 2010 target (decision VII/30) and making effective use of the indicators identified in decision VII/30, and recommendation XI/5 of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice.  It should include a summary for decision makers;

(b)      The messages should serve an audience comprising non-technical decision makers (national Governments, international organizations, business and especially those sectors that impact on or use biodiversity), public and the media;

(c)      The report should:

(i)      Provide a powerful case for the importance of biodiversity to human well-being and a clear presentation of the trends of biodiversity loss;

(ii)      Contain a succinct overview of the status of the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, progress towards the 2010 target and contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals;

(iii)      Indicate the key actions required at the individual, institutional and systemic levels to achieve the 2010 target;

(iv)      Foster the application of the ecosystem approach;

(v)      Demonstrate the shift in emphasis, within the Convention, from policy formulation to implementation;

(vi)      Limit the narratives on processes under the Convention on Biological Diversity to those most relevant to the achievement of the 2010 target;

(vii)      Draw on the findings of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and other relevant assessments to avoid duplication and potential overlaps;

(d)      More specifically the report should:

(i)      Give a high profile to the headline indicators;

(ii)      Focus on an assessment of the current status of progress in achieving the 2010 target and the identification of key drivers influencing progress. The analytical approach should use the framework provided in decision VII/30 It should also provide indicator-based information and highlight methodological limitations and uncertainties as well as the challenges of monitoring progress towards the achievement of the 2010 target;

(iii)      Underline the gaps that need to be addressed at policy, institutional and data levels, as well as the priority challenges and efforts necessary to achieve the 2010 target. It does not need to be a comprehensive review of all existing mechanisms but should take into account key global drivers of biodiversity change and important "lessons learned" from national and regional experiences in implementing the Convention;

(iv)      Consider the challenges that lie beyond 2010, the level of effort required to overcome these challenges in order to continue reducing and eventually halting biodiversity loss in the longer term. The report should demonstrate, using scenarios and options, the efforts and timescales required to both significantly reduce the rate of and subsequently halt the loss of biodiversity;

3.      Requests the Executive Secretary:

(a)      To ensure, subject to the availability of funds, the timely preparation and production of the Global Biodiversity Outlook in order that a full first draft of the report is available for review by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice at its eleventh meeting and that the final report is available at the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, taking into account the above points and a process of peer review;

(b)      To develop an effective communication and outreach strategy for wider dissemination of the report findings, drawing on, inter alia, the expertise of the informal advisory committee for communication, education and public awareness, and to give due consideration to the style and format of the report and ancillary products;

4.      In line with paragraph 7 of decision VII/24 of the Conference of the Parties, calls on donor organizations and Parties to contribute and make available urgently the necessary financial support for the preparation, production and communication of the Global Biodiversity Outlook and related ancillary products.