The Convention on Biological Diversity hosted a series of special virtual sessions  between 15 and 18 September 2020 to allow the opportunity of presenting information and statements by Parties and observers, in preparation for the 24^th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-24) and the 3^rd meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-3), now scheduled to take place during the first quarter of 2021.

Following the work of Regions4 and the Advisory Committee on Subnational Governments and Biodiversity (AC SNG) in preparation for the SBSTTA-24 and SBI-3, a Regions4 delegation was able to take part in the virtual sessions to send a message on behalf of the subnational constituency.  

It was during the session Preparation of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in which Mr Roger Rivero, a representative of Campeche – member of both Regions4 and the AC SNG – took the floor and shared the Committee’s aspirations and commitments: “We strongly support the call for action included in [the Edinburgh] Declaration and recall that we stand ready to meet the challenges that we face today to deliver the post-2020 framework from our positions and to overcome the consequences of the global pandemic. Specifically, we call on Parties to adopt a new dedicated Decision at COP15, which builds upon and renews Decision X/22 and the Plan of Action, and significantly raises ambition for subnational and local actions towards implementing the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.”

Additionally, Mr. Teru Kisuna, leader of the Group of Leading Subnational Governments towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and partner of the AC SNG also sent a message, on day one of the sessions, to recall on the importance of including the subnational and local perspective into the dialogues that were about to take place. Mr. Kisuna also had the opportunity to mention the outcomes of the Edinburgh Process and invited the Parties to staying informed on our constituency’s advocacy efforts.

Finally, on another important milestone for Regions4, the report Mainstreaming Biodiversity: The Subnational Government Experience, has been accredited as an Information Document to the third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-3) of the CBD under agenda item 11, providing concrete information on the contributions of subnational governments to the global biodiversity agenda.

Launch of the GBO-5

The virtual sessions saw the launch of the fifth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook, the flagship publication of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

This edition reported that the Aichi Biodiversity Targets are not going to be met by the end of the year and urged the Parties to realize that humanity is at a crossroads and that the next 10 years are going to be crucial for stopping biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. The report is also a strong call to action to mobilize resources and that strong enabling environments are in place so the post-2020 global framework can be successfully implemented.

More information

To find out more on how to join the AC SNG and Regions4 advocacy efforts in biodiversity please click here.  

To accredited document Mainstreaming Biodiversity: The Subnational Experience can be accessed at the CBD website.