Convention on Biological Diversity’s SBSTTA concluded in Nairobi
On 21 May 2010, the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) concluded its 14th meeting at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. As part of the UNEP team at SBSTTA, UNEP-WCMC was represented by a team working on a range of the agenda items and presenting the work of UNEP-WCMC at several side events. On 10 May, the meeting started with the launch of the third edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook, with simultaneous launches around the world. The meeting benefited from input from UNEP-WCMC. The Centre, with support from the European Commission, UNEP and the GEF, provided substantial inputs to Global Biodiversity Outlook-3 in particular through the 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership. SBSTTA also had before it reports on the implications for biodiversity of ocean acidification and ocean fertlization that UNEP-WCMC had produced. SBSTTA adopted 19 documents, containing recommendations for the Conference of the Parties (COP), which will meet in October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan.
UNEP-WCMC works with the CBD through a joint work programme, concluded after the 9th meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 2008. The Centre stands ready to further support the Parties to the Convention as well as the CBD Secretariat with implementing the recommendations from SBSTTA 14 once adopted by COP 10. The SBSTTA recommendations to COP 10 include calls for UNEP-WCMC to provide such support in the areas of protected areas; marine and coastal biodiversity; and goals, targets and indicators of the envisaged new CBD Strategic Plan for 2011-2020.
