4 October 2019: Discussions at a workshop titled, ‘Gaining consensus on spatial and temporal biodiversity metrics for informed decision-making’, contributed to a report summarizing key approaches for building the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The publication aims to identify some of the best available data, tools and platforms to support the framework’s design, as well as ways to monitor its implementation from 2020-2030.

The workshop took place from 20-24 May 2019, at the University of Cambridge, UK. Luc Hoffmann Institute, the UN Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), National Geographic Society, the NatureMap consortium, and the biodiversity hub of the Science-Based Targets Network organized the event.

Participants in the workshop explored a range of frameworks and approaches to monitoring biodiversity and measuring progress towards policy targets. The meeting also raised issues related to knowledge gaps, the need to capture the multiple dimensions of biodiversity, and what it means to live in harmony with nature.

The event’s outcome report titled, ‘ A synthesis of available scientific input to inform the development of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework,’ was developed to support government negotiators, national focal points of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and observer organizations in the development and subsequent implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

The publication provides linked worksheets on available spatial data on biodiversity, benefits to people, and threats to nature, available indicators to measure progress towards targets, and proposed new targets published in scientific literature. It also identifies existing data platforms to support implementation.

The report summarizes the workshop’s discussions under the following categories:

• Outlining options for operationalizing the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity;
• Outlining proposed approaches for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework;
• Outlining scientific proposals for an overall biodiversity state index (including biodiversity benefits to people), or set of indicators that could be useful to measure progress to 2030;
• Exploring approaches to better connect biodiversity with climate change and land degradation agendas;
• Progress towards the development of action-oriented targets;
• Summarizing the scientific status of potential indicators to measure progress towards 2030;
• Summarizing the scientific status of spatial data that can assist countries and other stakeholders to plan ways to implement the post-2020 global biodiversity framework; and
• Summarizing the scientific status of web-based platforms that can support countries and other stakeholders who will implement the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

Governments are to adopt the post-2020 global biodiversity framework at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD, which is expected to take place in Kunming, China, in October 2020. [UNEP-WCMC Press Release] [UNEP-WCMC Website] [Publication: A synthesis of available scientific input to inform the development of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework]