12 September 2014: The Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) has joined the Liaison Group of the Biodiversity-related Conventions, which includes the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR), the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and the World Heritage Convention (WHC).

The IPPC Secretariat is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). The IPPC sets international standards for phytosanitary measures, many of which are applicable to actions taken by Parties to the Biodiversity-related Conventions, to address, for instance, issues related to invasive alien species in terrestrial and aquatic environments, or living modified organisms (LMOs) that may present a phytosanitary risk.

As a member of the Liaison Group of the Biodiversity-related Conventions, the IPPC Secretariat can further facilitate the engagement of agricultural and trade-related sectors in biodiversity-related objectives, and contribute to mainstreaming biodiversity worldwide and achieving the relevant Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The CBD and IPPC Secretariats have been collaborating under the framework of a Memorandum of Cooperation in areas of common concern since 2005. [CBD Press Release][CBD Notification][IPPC Website]