22 November 2018: Several side events during the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have discussed the post-2020 biodiversity framework and developed recommendations for CBD COP 15, which will take place in Beijing, China, in 2020, and is expected to take a decision on the issue.

During an event, sponsored by the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), the Chinese Academy of Sciences, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), and with a focus on recommendations for China, participants suggested, inter alia: addressing drivers of biodiversity loss; ensuring ambitious national targets for COP 15; greening China’s Belt and Road Initiative; prioritizing creative and implementable solutions that involve bringing local community voices into decision making; understanding the role of women in biodiversity conservation; and respecting ownership rights of local communities.

An event presented by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the CBD and the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) discussed priorities for “what nature needs” in the post-2020 biodiversity conservation targets. During the discussion, participants identified the need for multi-functional areas for conservation and the importance of integrating conservation targets as they relate to the drivers of biodiversity loss, such as land-use patterns. Participants also noted that indigenous conservation areas may be more important for conservation than government-led protected areas.

The post-2020 biodiversity framework will be the start of a process and not an endpoint.

Speakers at an event on the theme, ‘From Aichi to Post-2020 – What We Should Do Next Decade 2021-2030 toward Biodiversity 2050 Vision “Living in Harmony with Nature,”’ which was presented by the Japan Committee for UN Decade on Biodiversity (UNDB), the CBD and the Japanese Ministry of Environment, with support from the Nature Conservation Society of Japan and Japan Committee for IUCN, emphasized the interlinkages among the SDGs and biodiversity targets. One speaker highlighted that “the post-2020 biodiversity framework will be the start of a process and not an endpoint,” and others highlighted activities that youth and the Chinese government are undertaking in preparation for 2020.

Speakers at an event presented by Expertise France, with support from the European Commission, discussed efforts towards achieving an effective and ambitious follow-up to the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity. One speaker suggested that the objectives that should be considered in a post-2020 biodiversity agenda include: strategic issues such as sustainable consumption and production (SCP); identifying tensions between implementation of the SDGs and the CBD objectives; and clarifying the role of measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) systems. Cristiana Pasca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary, said the mainstreaming of biodiversity must extend to sectors that have not yet been considered, including mining, industry, and health. Participants also highlighted, inter alia, the need for technical assistance to mainstream biodiversity within financial procedures and products, and the importance of reforming the environmental sector to effectively mainstream biodiversity.

During an event on ‘Business Engagement Post-2020 – A New Deal for Business and Nature,’ presented by UN Environment, the EU, Japan Biodiversity Fund, the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Union for Ethical Biotrade, Biotrade Initiative, the Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) Capacity Development Initiative, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Inger Anderson, IUCN Director General, noted that countries and companies are coming forward with voluntary commitments ahead of COP 15, and said they should be assessed to see if the Aichi Targets can be reached. Speakers also discussed the benefits of top-down and bottom-up goals, and mid- and long-term goals. [IISD RS coverage of selected side events at COP14]