The UN Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat, Mexico, Sweden, and Switzerland, organized a webinar to showcase cooperation and collaboration for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) fostered by the Bern Process. First in a new series, the webinar briefed participants on the Bern Process since its start in 2019 and highlighted key efforts since the 2024 Bern III Conference.

The Bern Process recognizes that there is mutual benefit in cooperation among multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) in implementation, preparation of guidance and information documents, advancing decisions and resolutions of the governing bodies, and organizing side events and capacity-building workshops, among other activities.

Tita Korvenoja, Chief Environmental Conventions and Policy Branch, UNEP, moderated the discussion.

Diane Klaimi, Treaties Programme Manager, UNEP, provided an overview of the Bern Process, noting its origins in 2018 under a decision by the CBD Conference of the Parties (COP), calling for a workshop on collaboration among biodiversity-related conventions. She emphasized that the Bern Process is not a negotiation but an informal, cooperative, action-oriented, and party-led process, now engaging 16 MEAs across the biodiversity, pollution, and desertification and climate change clusters.  

Klaimi outlined the scope of the process and highlighted the contributions of the Bern I, Bern II, and Bern III Conferences to the development and implementation of the GBF, including the mapping of the MEAs against the GBF targets at Bern III. She said the Bern Process has inspired other agendas, citing its recognition in 12 MEA decisions and one UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolution.

Klaimi traced the evolution of the Bern Process “from mandate to action,” which included consultation workshops, expert meetings, online webinars and discussion forums, high-level dialogues, side events, and UNEA MEA Days. Among the outputs, she highlighted mapping strategies, integrative tools, information documents, and guidance reports, which supported: national coordination; joint planning on monitoring, reporting, and financing; regional capacity building; partnerships; and case studies, leading to greater policy coherence. Klaimi also described the support the Bern Process has provided to the global synergies agenda at UNEA as well as at the CBD, UNFCCC, and UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COPs.

Klaimi said another Bern Process webinar in August will focus on GBF implementation milestones.

Bern III Co-Chair Clarisse Kehler Siebert, Senior Policy Advisor at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, elaborated on Bern III outcomes. Noting that the Conference was part of a larger process with the objective of promoting cooperation on implementation of the GBF, she said Bern III had three main objectives: identify opportunities for cooperation; share practical experiences; and foster a community of “synergy champions” committed to working across conventions to solve environmental issues holistically.

Noting that the workshop-like atmosphere at Bern III facilitated open exchanges on challenges and outcomes, Kehler Siebert said that the MEA mapping against the GBF targets was co-created by the participants. Among other outcomes, she highlighted a preliminary cross-mapping of the indicators included in the GBF monitoring framework, case studies on synergies and cooperation among MEAs for the GBF, and practical ways to foster cooperation, including by:

  • Building on what exists;
  • Being innovative, motivational, and optimistic and starting now;
  • Focusing on areas of mutual interest;
  • Fully engaging with stakeholders;
  • Making better use of major meetings;
  • Finding a common narrative; and
  • Reducing the gap between MEAs in discussions of the same issues.

Kehler Siebert said the Conference highlighted the value of cooperation and integrated approaches beyond biodiversity, the contribution of MEA and SDG frameworks to GBF implementation and review, the need for a coordinated mechanism and partnerships to share experiences, and national platforms for harmonized implementation.

Kehler Siebert offered examples of implementation of the Bern Process outcomes, including events convened during the 2024 CBD, UNFCCC, and UNCCD COPs, at the international level – and the “nationalization” of the Bern Process in Mexico.

Malgorzata Stylo, Programme Management Officer, Chemicals and Health Branch, UNEP, spoke about strengthening synergies across the biodiversity-chemicals-and-wastes nexus. She outlined the linkages between the GBF targets on pollution, ecosystem and species conservation, and sustainable agriculture – and biodiversity- and chemicals-focused MEAs. Among thematic intersections, Stylo mentioned:

  • Biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate change;
  • Biodiversity and chemicals and waste data;
  • Artisanal and small-scale gold mining; and
  • Marine and coastal area management.

Stylo described how Global Environment Facility (GEF) investments accelerate transformative support for the environment through multi-focal area projects, sending a strong signal to the Bern Process on synergies and the need for coordination. She shared examples of trainings and outreach under the Bern Process, including workshops, side events, guidance, and tools, aiming to improve the understanding of synergies in the biodiversity and pollution cluster, and of efforts to curate existing guidance to mainstream pollution aspects into National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

In his intervention, Patrick Umuhoza, International Environmental Agreements Officer, Rwanda Environment Management Authority, reflected on enhancing whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches in national implementation of chemical and wastes and biodiversity MEAs. He updated participants about Rwanda’s domestication of MEAs and coordination on their implementation, pursuit of cost-effective implementation of targets in the light of limited resources, and implementation monitoring. Umuhoza outlined efforts by a steering committee to align with the GBF Rwanda’s NBSAP and revised implementation plans under chemicals MEAs.

The Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions Secretariat highlighted the 2025 COPs’ decisions on cooperation and coordination, including with biodiversity-related conventions, and a BRS report on opportunities for enhanced cooperation to achieve the GBF targets.

Niklaus Wagner, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland, offered closing remarks. Stressing that the Bern Process can catalyze action at national level, he welcomed its growing recognition by different MEAs. He encouraged participants to continue building on the outcomes of Bern III, keeping the Bern Process high on MEA agendas.

Themed, ‘From Bern to Action: Advancing Synergies Across MEAs,’ the webinar took place on 25 June 2025. [SDG Knowledge Hub Sources] [Webinar Recording]