The thirteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has forwarded seven recommendations to the ninth Conference of the Parties, although they contain a number of bracketed, or unresolved, issues.

The SBSTTA convened from 18-22 February 2008, in Rome, Italy, immediately following the second meeting of the Convention’s Working Group on Protected Areas. Participants at SBSTTA 13 conducted in-depth reviews of the CBD work programmes on agricultural and forest biodiversity, and addressed scientific and technical issues of relevance to the implementation of the CBD’s 2010 target to significantly reduce the rate of biodiversity loss relating to marine and coastal biodiversity, inland waters biodiversity, invasive alien species, and biodiversity and climate change. The meeting also considered the modus operandi for addressing new and emerging issues relating to the conservation and use of biodiversity. Unresolved issues include: biofuels in the context of agricultural and forest biodiversity; options for the consideration of genetically modified trees; several issues relating to marine and coastal biodiversity; the possible establishment of an expert group on biodiversity and climate change; and references to climate change mitigation measures. Delegates welcomed progress on invasive alien species, and on biodiversity and climate change, considering the debates these issues have generated in the past. However, they raised concerns about the large number of bracketed references that will have to be resolved by at COP 9, which is scheduled to take place in Bonn, Germany, in May 2008.
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