Image courtesy of the Arctic Biodiversity Congress Secretariat
Arctic biodiversity is under threat. Conserving this ecosystem requires a holistic approach and the involvement of non-Arctic states and stakeholders. In partnership with the Finish Ministry of the Environment, the 2nd Arctic Biodiversity Congress will take place from 9-12 October 2018 in Rovaniemi, Finland. Organized by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) and the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council, the Congress will foster a dialogue among key stakeholders working on the conservation of Arctic biodiversity, including scientists, indigenous peoples, policy-makers, governments officials, industry, students and civil society.
The 2nd Arctic Biodiversity Congress is designed around six main themes, determined by the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment recommendations for policy, including: climate change; ecosystem-based management; mainstreaming biodiversity; addressing individual stressors on biodiversity; identifying and safeguarding important areas for biodiversity; and improving knowledge and public awareness.
The Congress is mainly convened to:
- Advise CAFF on national and international implementation of the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA) policy recommendations and on any changes to future phases of the Actions for Biodiversity 2013-2021;
- Assess progress in the Arctic in comparison with the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, the Aichi Targets and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
- Relate the work of CAFF and the Arctic Council to other global processes, such as the CBD, The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals;
- Facilitate interdisciplinary discussion, action and status updates on implementation of ABA policy recommendations among scientists, government officials, policy makers, indigenous peoples and industry representatives; and
- Increase the global visibility of Arctic biodiversity and raise CAFF and the Arctic Council’s profile amongst target audiences to reaffirm its credibility in Arctic biodiversity research and policy.
The Arctic Council is a high level intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States, with the involvement of the Arctic Indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants. CAFF is the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council. The Arctic Biodiversity Congress was established to address the ABA, a region-wide assessment of threats to Arctic biodiversity conducted by the CAFF working group of the Arctic Council.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily digital coverage and has provided a summary report from the Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2018.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis
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