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WGRI 1 Recommendations

WGRI 1 Recommendation 1/1

1/1.Implementation of the Convention and Strategic Plan

The Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Review of Implementation of the Convention
A.Recommends that the Conference of the Parties, at its eighth meeting:
1.Considers appropriate mechanisms to, inter alia:
(a)Undertake, prior to the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, an in-depth review of the implementation of goals 2 and 3 of the Strategic Plan (excluding consideration of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety), including an assessment of obstacles to their implementation and of ways and means of overcoming such obstacles on the basis, inter alia, of information provided in the third national reports and supplementary submissions provided by Parties, focusing in particular on:
(i)The provision of financial resources, capacity-building and technology transfer;
(ii)The status of national biodiversity strategies and action plans, their implementation and updating, and the extent to which biodiversity concerns are effectively integrated into relevant sectors and have been effectively mainstreamed in accordance with Article 6 (b) of the Convention;
(b)Develop, prior to the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, consolidated and up-to-date guidance for the development, implementation and evaluation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans and the effective integration of biodiversity concerns into relevant sectors, including financial considerations for implementing and updating national strategies and guidance on facilitating the involvement of indigenous and local communities;
2.Recognizes the need for increased capacity within Parties to implement the Convention, particularly with regard to national biodiversity strategies, policies, plans and legislation and national reports, and considers options for the provision of increased technical support for developing countries, in particular the least developed and small island developing States among them, and countries with economies in transition, for facilitating and promoting implementation of the Convention;
3.Further considers options to support Parties to undertake, on a voluntary basis, a review of national implementation of the Convention, as envisaged in paragraph 41 of decision V/20;
B.Recommends that the Conference of the Parties adopt a decision along the following lines:
The Conference of the Parties
Emphasizing the need to address each of the three objectives of the Convention,
Noting that the major obstacles to the implementation of the Convention have already been identified in the Strategic Plan, and ways and means of overcoming these obstacles need to be identified,
Stressing the need for the provision of new and additional financial resources for the implementation of the Convention in accordance with Article 20 and looking forward to a successful replenishment of the GEF,
Recalling that paragraph 4 of Article 23 tasks the Conference of the Parties with keeping under review the implementation of the Convention,
1.Decides that review of implementation of the Convention should be a standing item on its agenda;
2.Takes note of the analysis of progress towards the goals of the Strategic Plan summarized in paragraph 5 of the note by the Executive Secretary on implementation of the Convention and the Strategic Plan and progress towards the 2010 target (UNEP/CBD/WGRI/1/2);
3.Decides to consider, at its ninth meeting, the in-depth review of the implementation of goals 2 and 3 of the Strategic Plan and consolidated guidance for the development, implementation and evaluation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans and the effective integration of biodiversity concerns into relevant sectors;
4.In preparation for the review process referred to in paragraph 3 above, invitesParties to provide timely information on:
(a)The status of national biodiversity strategies and action plans, their implementation and updating, and the extent to which biodiversity concerns have been effectively mainstreamed in accordance with Article 6 (b) of the Convention on Biological Diversity;
(b)The main obstacles to implementation of the Convention at the national level, including obstacles to the implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and to the effective integration of biodiversity concerns into relevant sectors (using as a framework the list of obstacles identified in the Strategic Plan), and ways and means by which these obstacles might be overcome;
(c)An update on actions taken in response to paragraph 41 of decision V/20 on reviewing implementation at the national level.
C.In view of the work to be undertaken in connection with paragraphs A 1 (a) and B 3 above, the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Review of Implementation of the Convention requests the Executive Secretary to develop, for the consideration of the Conference of the Parties at its eighth meeting:
(a)An outline of issues to be addressed by the in-depth review of national biodiversity strategies and action plans referred to in paragraph A 1 (a) above;
(b)A proposal on the form and scope of guidance for the development and implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans and cross-sectoral integration, referred to in paragraph A 1 (b) above;
(c)Options for the provision of technical support to Parties for facilitating and promoting implementation of the Convention, such as a technical assistance programme, including consideration of the potential role of the Secretariat, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and other organizations as appropriate, and the financial implications of such options, drawing upon, inter alia, the experience of other conventions and international organizations;
(d)Options to support Parties to undertake, on a voluntary basis, a review of national implementation, as envisaged in paragraph 41 of decision V/20;
(e)A proposal on inviting other biodiversity-relevant organizations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), to participate in the liaison group of biodiversity-related conventions (the 'Biodiversity Liaison Group').
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