IPSI has been actively participating in the 24th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that kicked off virtually on 3rd May 2021. 

So far, the discussions at SBSTTA-24 have centred around the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF), marine and coastal biodiversity, and Programme of work of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). These agenda items were presented during the plenary, while further closed negotiations were carried out during the contact group meetings. The interventions by Parties on post-2020 GBF focused on the implementation of the monitoring framework and addition of more concrete indicators related to indigenous peoples’, marine and coastal ecosystems, climate change, urban biodiversity, nature and culture/people, people’s needs, capacity building, and finance. On the agenda 6 item on Coastal and Marine biodiversity, discussions heavily centred around the issue of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs). Parties called for more emphasis on rising ocean challenges including vulnerable coastal and marine ecosystems, climate change, marine pollution including plastics and noise, as well as deep sea issues etc. On agenda item 8 on the programme of work of the IPBES, Parties highlighted the importance of IPBES reports in the context of existing emerging issues linked to biodiversity, including transformative change, biodiversity, invasive alien species, and health. It was suggested to further improve the policy relevance of the IPBES reports and that the findings are translated to relevant CBD decisions. As an observer organisation, the IPSI, headquartered at UNU-IAS, submitted its statement on agenda items 3 (post-2020 GBF) and 6 (marine and coastal biodiversity).

Further details of our event report: The complete statements of IPSI, UNU-IAS and other information are available on the CBD website here.