19 May 2015: The Republic of Korea and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have signed a funding agreement for the implementation of the 2015-2020 Bio-Bridge Initiative, which aims to promote technical and scientific cooperation and support for the achievement of CBD goals and targets.

Launched by the Republic of Korea at the margins of the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the CBD in 2014, the Bio-Bridge Initiative aims to support implementation of Aichi Biodiversity Target 19, which states that, “by 2020, knowledge, the science base and technologies relating to biodiversity, its values, functioning, status and trends, and the consequences of its loss, are improved, widely shared and transferred, and applied.” The initiative aims to enable more systematic and sustainable technical and scientific cooperation by: facilitating the communication of technical and scientific needs and priorities of countries; enhancing the availability and accessibility of information with respect to best practices and expertise for technical and scientific cooperation; and matching the needs of countries with support by relevant organizations and initiatives.

Funding for Phase 1 of the Bio-Bridge Initiative comprises an initial investment of more than US$500,000 by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea, with five additional contributions for 2016-2020. “By carefully helping to match the needs of Parties with the offers of support by other Parties that have relevant experience, as well as with leading organizations and centers of expertise, the Bio-Bridge Initiative will make a lasting contribution,” said CBD Executive Secretary Braulio Dias, inviting all Parties and partners to join. [CBD Press Release]