Highlights and images for 20 October 2025

“The ambition of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) must be accompanied by ambitious scientific and technical advice,” said Astrid Schomaker, opening the 27th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 27). She underscored the important role of SBSTTA in providing scientific advice to the ongoing work to prepare a global review of collective progress in GBF implementation, highlighting the review’s importance for taking stock of progress and identifying gaps, maintaining the confidence of the international community toward achieving the long-term vision of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) of living in harmony with nature by 2050.

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

In opening remarks, SBSTTA 27 Chair Jean Bruno Mikissa (Gabon) highlighted the importance of the provision of scientific and technical advice to support the preparation of the global review of collective progress in the implementation of the GBF.

Juan Carlos Navarro, Minister of Environment, Panama, urged adopting decisions based on robust science that translate into real policies, are coupled with accessible funding, and deliver concrete results for people and life on Earth.

The first day of SBSTTA 27 was devoted to:

• the global review of collective progress in the implementation of the GBF;
• matters related to the work programme of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), including implications of its assessments for the work undertaken under the Convention; and
• biodiversity and climate change.

On the global review of collective progress, Hesiquio Benítez (Mexico), Co-Chair of the relevant Ad Hoc Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (AHSTAG), described the peer-review process to deliver the draft annotated outline for the global report. Many delegates said that the annotated outline constitutes a good basis for further deliberations.

Delegates discussed the need to:

• ensure the timely submission of comprehensive seventh national reports and updated national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs), stressing that national data should be the primary source of information;
• align the annotated outline with agreed language and guidelines;
• include in the review sections on institutional, financial, and technological obstacles and also highlight effective measures and successes; and
• include in the analysis additional elements, such as a summary of collective progress in implementing each GBF target, a review of drivers of biodiversity loss, and an analysis of financial and other resources, including gaps in finance, technology transfer, and capacity building.

SBSTTA 27 Chair Mikissa established a contact group, which met in the evening for an initial exchange of views on contentious issues.

Many delegates welcomed the work of IPBES, highlighting its critical role in providing robust and comprehensive science-based findings, relevant to CBD decisions and national implementation. Many praised IPBES for integrating multiple scientific disciplines and Indigenous and local knowledges, stressing the importance of effectively communicating findings across scales and stakeholders.

During an initial exchange of views on biodiversity and climate change, a regional group suggested inviting parties to review the “Expanded Supplement to the Voluntary Guidelines for the Design and Effective Implementation of Ecosystem-based Approaches to Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction.” Discussions will continue on Tuesday.