Highlights and images for 19 October 2023

Consensus-driven negotiations encourage inclusivity, assuring that the concerns and interests of all are considered. Divergence of views plays an important part the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) negotiation process, and is often due to the varied ecological, socio-economic, and unique circumstances encountered by member states in tackling the challenges of biodiversity loss. The CBD meetings provide a shared space to nurture the shared ownership of the resulting decisions.

The closing day of the twenty-fifth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 25) proceedings adhered to these enduring practices, as delegates adopted eight recommendations to further the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

Want to dig deeper into today's talks? Read the full Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report.

Delegates also adopted the meeting report presented by SBSTTA 25 Rapporteur Bilal Qtishat (Jordan).

Acting Executive Secretary Cooper thanked outgoing SBSTTA Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz for his hard work and dedication to science for the past five years.

Chair Benítez, who received a standing ovation from delegates, thanked them for their cooperation in ensuring a successful conclusion of the meeting, and noted the celebratory end of his five-year term, marked also by the celebration of the 20th anniversary since the entry into force of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. He closed the meeting at 12:54 pm.

The Resumed Second Part of CBD COP 15

In the afternoon, the resumed second part of the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of Parties to the CBD (CBD COP 15) convened. Delegates addressed procedural matters forwarded from the second part of CBD COP15, held in Montreal in December 2022.

Zhou Guomei (China) opened the meeting on behalf of the CBD COP 15 President. She reminded delegates that due to the procedural hurdles, the Montreal COP was suspended without the election of new officers to the Bureau and the chairpersons of the two subsidiary bodies. Delegates proceeded to elect the vice presidents, by acclamation:

• Hlobsile P. Siko (Eswatini) and Abderahman Zino Izourar (Algeria) for Africa;
• Sandeep K. Singh (Fiji) and Somaly Chan (Cambodia) for Asia Pacific;
• Gillian Guthrie (Jamaica) and Maria Teresa Becerra Ramirez (Colombia) for the Latin American and Caribbean Group; and
• Norbert Baerlocher (Switzerland) for Western European and Others Group (WEOG).

They also elected Shri Reddy (India) as Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation.

Through an unprecedented secret ballot voting, parties elected Teona Karchava (Georgia) and Angela Lozan (Moldova) as vice-presidents from Central and Eastern Europe. After opposition from the Russian Federation, delegates voted for Eric Schauls (Luxemburg) as the second vice-president from WEOG.

They also elected Senka Barudanovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) as incoming SBSTTA Chair through a secret ballot.

Deliberations on the remaining outstanding items will continue on Friday morning.