1 May 2012: The 16th session of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) opened on 30 April 2012, in Montreal, Canada. The session is focused on issues relating to marine and coastal biodiversity, and biodiversity and climate change.

CBD Executive Secretary Braulio Dias called for SBSTTA 16 to focus on issues that hinder progress on achieving the Aichi Targets and implementing the Strategic Plan, and highlighted the recent establishment of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), noting the need to further understand how SBSTTA and IPBES can collaborate.

Delegates then convened in two working groups (WGs). WG I considered the preparation of the fourth Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO 4) and biodiversity and climate change. On biodiversity and climate change, SBSTTA 16 will consider: biodiversity safeguards, indicators and mechanisms to monitor impacts of measures to reduce deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) on biodiversity; integration of biodiversity considerations into climate-change related activities; and impacts of geo-engineering on biodiversity and gaps in regulatory mechanisms.

WG II addressed the in-depth review of the Programme of Work on Island Biodiversity (PoWIB) and ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs). Delegates also will discuss: adverse impacts of human activities on marine and coastal biodiversity; and marine spatial planning, marine protected areas (MPAs) and voluntary guidelines for the consideration of biodiversity in environmental assessments in marine and coastal areas.

SBSTTA 16 will also address the following issues: progress in implementing decisions on the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), biofuels and biodiversity, and incentive measures; capacity building for the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI); new and emerging issues; and collaborative work in the areas of agriculture, forests and health.

The meeting is expected to adopt a series of recommendations to be submitted to the 11th meeting of the CBD Conference of the Parties (COP 11), to be held from 8-19 October 2012, in Hyderabad, India. [Meeting Website] [Meeting Agenda] [IISD RS meeting coverage]