The 25th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) took place in October in Nairobi, Kenya. Biodiversa+ co-organized a side event with the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), a member of Biodiversa+’s Enlarged Stakeholder Board.
The event focused on supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), including at the regional levels. The KMGBF, adopted in December 2022, outlines a comprehensive “whole-of-society” approach, based on scientific evidence, to protect and restore biodiversity. Biodiversa+, with its network of leading researchers and institutions, has a key role to play in generating and disseminating this crucial evidence.
The side event coincided with a timely SBSTTA-25 agenda item focusing on identifying scientific and technical needs to support the KMGBF’s implementation. This discussion highlighted the critical role of major research initiatives like Biodiversa+, especially considering the eight-year gap since the previous Subsidiary Body discussion on scientific and technical needs for the Convention’s 10-year strategic plan.
The side event featured presentations of eleven global and regional initiatives, showcasing a wide range of actions and inputs contributing to the KMGBF. These initiatives cover various areas, including capacity building, and knowledge generation and management, in both the Global North and South. A discussion followed, exploring potential collaborations between the initiatives, including the establishment of a dedicated platform to facilitate further cooperation and maximize impact.
Biodiversa+ was honored to welcome distinguished speakers, including representatives from the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, the POST-2020 Biodiversity Framework-EU support project, the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) and the EU-funded CO-OP4CBD project. The session was chaired by the European Commission (DG ENV), demonstrating the active role the EU plays in the crucial dialogue between science and policy on biodiversity issues. Over 40 stakeholders participated in the side event, fostering stronger ties with partners and laying the groundwork for future collaboration.
- The side event at SBSTTA-25 served as a successful platform for discussing scientific and technical needs for the KMGBF.
- Collaboration between global and regional initiatives is crucial to create synergies and maximize impact.
- Biodiversa+ plays a critical role in generating and disseminating scientific evidence essential for the implementation of the KMGBF.
