On Friday, a session entitled “Our Future, Today’s Biodiversity,” was chaired by Alfred Oteng-Yeboah, National Biodiversity Committee, Ghana. Conference Co-Chair Ivar Baste, Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management, informed participants that the newly released report of the UN High-level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda entitled “A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies Through Sustainable Development” includes a set of 12 goals: the ninth goal on managing natural resource assets sustainably makes reference to safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity.

Jane Smart, IUCN, presented on IUCN knowledge products for implementing the Aichi targets. Hossein Fadaei, Acting Secretary of UN Environment Management Group (EMG), UNEP, presented the work of the EMG noting its main function is to enhance coordination among UN agencies at the highest level. Marci Yeater, CITES Secretariat, called for strengthened involvement of CITES in future Trondheim conferences. Salvatore Aricò, UNESCO, stressed that multi-stakeholder cooperation is essential to mainstream biodiversity. Nancy Colleton, IUCN Commission on Education and Communication, offered insights on how to communicate the science and value of biodiversity in a way that motivates action.

Rapporteur Jerry Harrison, UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre, presented the Co-Chairs’ report titled “Moment of Opportunity,” highlighting that the report attempted to capture the key messages arising from the different sessions and calling upon participants to communicate these messages and learn from them.

Yeon-chul Yoo, Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea, recognized the contributions of the Trondheim Conference to the biodiversity agenda over the past twenty years, mentioning in particular the forthcoming CBD COP 12 to be held in October 2014, in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea. Conference Co-Chairs Baste and Tone Solhaug, Norwegian Minsitry of the Environment, expressed their appreciation to speakers, participants, organizers and co-hosting organizations, paying special tribute to Peter Schei, founder of the Trondheim Conferences; and closed the Conference at 11.40 am.