5 May 2009: The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has issued its monthly Bulletin of Activities for April 2009. Among others, the Bulletin highlights the outcomes of the meeting of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group (AHTEG) on biodiversity and climate change, held from 18-22 April 2009, in Helsinki, Finland and a new publication on “Indigenous Peoples and Traditional Knowledge related to Biological Diversity and Responses to Climate Change in the Arctic Region.”

The AHTEG on biodiversity and climate change agreed to prepare a summary of main messages for submission to the 30th meeting of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies in addition to a compilation report from its first and second meetings for peer review prior to finalization at a drafting committee meeting planned for July 2009.
The publication on “Indigenous Peoples and Traditional Knowledge related to Biological Diversity and Responses to Climate Change in the Arctic Region,” prepared by the CBD Secretariat and the Ministry of Environment of Finland, contains knowledge shared by indigenous and local community representatives at the International Expert Meeting on Responses to Climate Change for Indigenous and Local Communities and their Impact on Traditional Knowledge related to Biological Diversity in the Arctic Region, held from 25-28 March 2008, in Helsinki, Finland. The brochure indicates that indigenous and traditional knowledge from the Arctic region reveals another view of life and lifestyles under threat. [The publication] [The bulletin of activities]