24 August 2016: The 11th regular meeting of the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions (BLG) took stock of the second meeting of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-2) and discussed the preparation and possible outcomes of upcoming international environmental meetings. The BLG aims to enhance coordination and synergies and share information across the seven global biodiversity-related conventions.

The BLG brings together the executives of: the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES); the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), which hosted the meeting; the Ramsar Convention; the World Heritage Convention; the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC); and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). CMS Executive Secretary Bradnee Chambers chaired the meeting, which took place in Bonn, Germany, on 23 August.

The meeting discussed potential future areas of cooperation, from joint work programmes between the Conventions to national reporting and joint outreach activities. Participants also discussed a proposal under consideration at the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP) to the CBD on how environmental projects funded through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) can incorporate the interests of all the biodiversity Conventions.

The BLG also discussed the contribution of the Conventions to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “It is becoming more and more clear as to how the synergies and cooperation can work in tangible ways between the Conventions and how they can collectively contribute to the SDGs,” IPPC Secretary Jingyuan Xia reflected. Representatives of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), who also attended the meeting, shared how their organizations’ can contribute to achieving the SDGs. [CMS Press Release] [BLG Website]