17 February 2012: The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has invited Parties to provide their views and comments on a draft document reviewing barriers to the sharing of biodiversity data and information, with recommendations for eliminating the barriers. Feedback received by 25 March 2012 will be taken into account when finalizing the document.

The draft was prepared by the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), in its capacity as the Secretariat of the Friends of the Conservation Commons. It was prepared as an input to planning for the future of the Conservation Commons, and as a contribution to the CBD and the future Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The draft incorporates input from a wide range of expertise across the sector, including from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).

The document analyzes the major barriers to sharing data, information and knowledge related to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, along with an overview of initiatives already addressing these barriers. On the basis of this analysis, the gaps in current activity and areas requiring additional support are identified in a series of recommendations for future actions. [CBD Notification] [Publication: Review Draft: A Review of Barriers to the Sharing of Biodiversity Data and Information, with Recommendations for Eliminating Them]