2 November 2015: The nineteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) opened on 2 November in Montreal, Canada, and will continue until 5 November 2015, to address, among other items, strategic, scientific and technical issues related to the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. Organized concurrently, the ninth meeting of the CBD Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions will convene from 4-7 November 2015 to address issues related to the implementation of CBD Article 8(j) on traditional knowledge.

SBSTTA 19 is expected to discuss: strategic, scientific and technical issues related to the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020; biodiversity and human health; climate-related geo-engineering; forest biodiversity; and the work of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

The ninth meeting of the Working Group on Article 8(j) will convene from 4-7 November 2015 to consider: indicators for the implementation of Article 8(j) on traditional knowledge and related provisions; guidelines on prior informed consent, or approval and involvement, and benefit-sharing from the use of traditional knowledge; draft best-practice guidelines for the repatriation of traditional knowledge; and recommendations from the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. In addition, the meeting will feature an in-depth dialogue on challenges and opportunities for international and regional cooperation in the protection of shared traditional knowledge across borders for the strengthening of traditional knowledge and the fulfillment of the three objectives of the Convention, in harmony with Nature/Mother Earth. [IISD RS Coverage of the Meetings] [SBSTTA 19 Webpage] [Working Group on Article 8(j) 9th Meeting Webpage]