19 October 2012: Side events on financing biodiversity, REDD+, ecological networks, flagship species, and other topics were held during the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Hyderabad, India, from 8-19 October 2012.

Among the ideas shared at the many side events that convened, at an event on “Financing the Stewardship of Global Biodiversity: Global Environment Facility (GEF) Support to Achieving the Aichi Targets,” Mark Zimsky, GEF, highlighted GEF’s objective of improving the sustainability of Protected Area systems, as well as mainstreaming biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in production landscapes/seascapes and sectors.

At “Analysis of International, Regional, and National Laws Essential to Securing Indigenous Peoples’ and Local Communities’ Territories and Areas,” Harry Jonas, Natural Justice, explained that the legal review commissioned by the Indigenous Peoples’ and Community Conserved Areas and Territories (ICCA) Consortium concluded that legal recognition and support of ICCAs remain weak or absent.

At the event on “Linking REDD+ Implementation with the CBD Biodiversity Targets,” Axel Benemann, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany, highlighted the German Government’s International Climate Initiative (ICI) and support for REDD-PAC (Policy Assessment Center).

At “The Role of Ecological Networks in the Conservation of Migratory Species,” Laura Cerasi, Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), explained that ecological networks promote connectivity between biodiversity hotspots and habitats used by species through corridors and stepping stones.

At the event on “Integrated Approaches to National Reporting to the Rio Conventions”, Wagaki Mwangi, UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), presented the Performance Review and Assessment of Implementation System (PRAIS), and noted the possibilities to pool data to see what is happening across the Rio Conventions.

At the event on “Flagship Species,” John Scanlon, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), stressed that managing flagship species like the tiger can be the best way to also protect its habitat, and said that highlighting individual species sometimes connects better with the general public than referring to biodiversity or ecosystems. [IISD RS Coverage of Selected Side Events] [CITES Press Release]