29 November 2010: The programme of the Rio Conventions’ Ecosystems and Climate Change Pavilion, held at the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Cancun, Mexico (the Cancun Climate Change Conference), from 29 November-10 December, highlights the benefits for the climate change agenda to be realized from an integrated strategy addressing the multiple drivers of biodiversity loss and land degradation.

The end result of such integrated strategies would be increased resilience and reduced vulnerability of ecosystems to climate change, and improved livelihoods, food security and water security for people. During the course of the two-week conference, the Pavilion will allow negotiators and other key decision makers, scientists and practitioners to discuss links between forest biodiversity and adaptation and mitigation, the role of oceans, indigenous peoples and communities, water, the role of protected areas, climate change and biodiversity loss, desertification and land degradation, and financing.

The Pavilion debuted at the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), held from 18-29 October in Nagoya, Japan. It is organized by the Secretariats of the Rio Conventions – the CBD, the UNFCCC and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) – in partnership with nine national and regional governments, along with the European Commission and a number of nongovernmental and intergovernmental organizations. [The Pavilion Website] [CBD Press Release]