Association of South East Asian Nations

The following events were covered by IISD Reporting Services on Friday, 16 December 2016: Increasing the Policy Impact of Ecosystem Service Assessments and Valuations – Insights from Assessment Processes in Côte d’Ivoire, Peru, Namibia and Mexico Mainstreaming Biodiversity in the Fisheries Sector: The Role of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and of Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation Innovative Mechanisms for Financing Biodiversity Conservation: An Exchange of Experiences Between Europe, Mexico And China Association of South East-Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Response to the Challenge of Biodiversity Loss IISD Reporting Services, through its ENBOTS Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage of selected side-events from the UN Biodiversity Conference. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Increasing the Policy Impact of Ecosystem Service Assessments and Valuations – Insights from Assessment Processes in Côte d’Ivoire, Peru, Namibia and Mexico Presented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), the Mexican Commission of National Protected Areas (CONANP), and the Governments of Côte d’Ivoire, Peru and Namibia This event, moderated by Paulina Campos, GIZ, discussed key findings from a review of assessments in three countries on how to mainstream the ecosystem services concept into sectoral and cross-sectoral policies and plans for biodiversity conservation. Elsa Nickel, Director General, German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), identified three ways of improving ecosystem services for decision making through: a systematic consideration of how economic activities depend on ecosystem services; consideration of risks to human wellbeing from ecosystem degradation; and assessment and valuation of ecosystem services. Augustin Berghöfer, Helmholtz Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ), identified three requirements for increasing the policy impact of ecosystem service assessments and valuations (ESAVs), including: the need to balance trade-offs between the credibility, relevance and legitimacy of scientific policy advice; closing the loop between ESAV and the policy setting; and tailoring the ESAV to a particular context. He noted three options for meeting these requirements, including: investing in scoping; jointly designing ESAVs without leaving it to technical experts; and using the ESAV process as a “vehicle” for adopting an ecosystem service lens. Lucía Ruiz, CONANP, Mexico, spoke on protected areas ecosystem valuation efforts in Mexico, noting findings that show: the Cabo Pulmo National Park contributes to maintain the fisheries sector; the value of the coral reefs of Cozumel Island for tourism; and the value of Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park for water provision. She stressed the need to integrate information from ecosystem valuation into institutional messages and discourses. Adama Tondossama, National Parks Authority (OIPR), Côte d’Ivoire, described the assessment and valuation of ecosystem services for consolidating political and financial support for the management of the Taï National Park in Côte d’Ivoire. He noted the strategic selection of ecosystem services, particularly for carbon sequestration provided by avoided deforestation, to better integrate their values in line with regional and national development plans. Ferdinand Mwapopi, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia, presented on experiences with ecosystem services assessments in his country. He highlighted this process has involved: studies to identify, delineate and assess ecosystems; the identification of ecosystem services and development of an ecosystem services inventory; prioritization of certain ecosystem services given limited resources; and capacity development. In discussion, participants identified, inter alia: how to promote cross-sectoral communication between government ministries; the challenge of defending values identified for ecosystem services; and an overview of methods available to conduct ecosystem services assessments relevant to context. Paulina Campos, GIZ, moderated the event. Elsa Nickel, BMUB, emphasized that ecosystem service valuation needs to be integrated into policy and planning in order to mainstream biodiversity. Augustin Berghöfer, UFZ, said it is critical to think of the process influencing the role of ecosystem services in policy planning, since “a single blueprint does not exist.” Adama Tondossama, OIPR, Côte d’Ivoire, highlighted ecosystem services provided by the Taï National Park, including water security, ecotourism, forest products and carbon sequestration. Lucía Ruiz, CONANP, Mexico, stressed that “conserving protected areas is about conserving our future as well as our immediate quality of life.” A slide from Lucía Ruiz’s presentation Ferdinand Mwapopi, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia, stressed that ecosystems and their biodiversity underpin Namibia’s economy, with 70% of the country’s population depending on ecosystems for their incomes and livelihoods. Participants listen to Adama Tondossama’s address. Contact: Paulina Campos (Coordinator) | paulina.campos@giz.de More Information: https://www.giz.de/en/html/index.html Mainstreaming Biodiversity in the Fisheries Sector: The Role of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and of Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation Presented by: the Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law & Governance (SCELG), the University of Edinburgh; the World Wildlife Fund; and the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative This event, moderated by Elisa Morgera, SCELG, explored the role of marine ecosystem services to alleviate poverty, with particular attention given to the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from sustainable fisheries with small-scale fishing communities. Panelists shared key research findings from an interdisciplinary and multi-scale assessment of fisheries governance by academics and practitioners with expertise in international fisheries law and policy, management, science and economics. Setting the stage for the event, Morgera noted the opportunities of fisheries-relevant Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the SDGs, particularly SDG 14, on the sustainable use of marine resources, for mainstreaming in the fisheries sector. Daniela Diz, SCELG, introduced the Marine Benefits project based at the University of Edinburgh and SCELG and funded by the Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation programme, aimed at investigating fair and equitable benefit sharing from sustainable fisheries. Diz said the notion of ecosystem services is less well developed in marine environments than in terrestrial areas. She further reported that the identification of beneficiaries is ambiguous, and that there is a need for multi-scalar considerations, especially in the context of transboundary marine environments, highlighting the broader frame provided by the Ecosystem Approach and interlinkages with the SDGs and Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Andrew Kenny, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), via video, discussed an ecosystem approach to fisheries management to achieve the SDGs, acknowledging that SDG 14.4 (achieving maximum sustainable yield by 2020) and the UN World Oceans Assessment are laudable goals but present challenges to implementation. He proposed a three-step science-based ecosystem management approach, involving mapping ecosystem production areas, identifying vulnerable marine ecosystems, and undertaking a stock assessment of the result. He stressed the need to: target fisheries management in areas of greatest need; protect essential fish habitats; identify multi-species models; and implement appropriate data-limited stock assessment methods and fisheries management control measures. Morgera drew attention to various elements and gaps to be addressed by the project in regards to SDG 14, including: the lack of mention of ecosystem services; the missing link to social and cultural aspects; and the risk of addressing one aspect of the goal more than others. She reported that contributions from the project would be published in an open access special issue of the journal of Marine Policy focusing on SDGs and sustainable fisheries. She highlighted papers on a wide range of interdisciplinary fields, including: science-based fisheries management; other effective conservation measures; fiscal reforms for sustainable marine fisheries governance; and marine technology transfer. Reporting on marine spatial planning (MSP) for SDG synergies and biodiversity mainstreaming, Morgera reported on stakeholder baselines, which will be used to describe past and future anticipated uses of ecosystem services. In the discussions, participants considered, inter alia: how to harmonize science and traditional knowledge into a science-based ecosystem approach to fisheries management; transboundary collection of data on fishstocks; the political challenges posed by transboundary fishstocks management; the need for an emphasis on risk-based approaches to fisheries management in regions that are data-poor; and the need to incorporate measures to address climate change and pollution in the ecosystem approach to fisheries management. Andrew Kenny, CEFAS, via video, called for prioritizing areas for monitoring assessment and management in order to define the science-based fisheries management plan to ensure sustainable fisheries; Daniela Diz and Elisa Morgera, SCELG, are seated at the table. Daniela Diz, SCELG, said the ecosystem approach provides a broader framework for benefit sharing in ecosystem stewardship, and noted that in a legal context, the “right to food” is a good anchor to this process. Elisa Morgera, SCELG, reported that MSP contributes to the understanding of stakeholder dependency on ecosystem services and includes participatory mapping of ecosystem services and vulnerabilities, including culturally important areas. Participants during the discussion A view of the room during the event Contact: Daniela Diz (Coordinator) | daniela.diz@strath.ac.uk Elisa Morgera (Coordinator) | elisa.morgera@strath.ac.uk More Information: www.strath.ac.uk/scelg/ http://www.strath.ac.uk/research/strathclydecentreenvironmentallawgovernance/benelex/ Innovative Mechanisms for Financing Biodiversity Conservation: An Exchange of Experiences Between Europe, Mexico and ChinaPresented by the European Commission (EC) and the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) This event, moderated by Driss Ezzine de Blas, CIRAD, included an exchange of experiences and information between experts on innovative financing for biodiversity conservation from Mexico, the European Union (EU) and China. In brief remarks, Laure Ledoux, EC, highlighted the EU’s interest in learning about other countries’ experiences of innovative financing mechanisms (IFMs) though its Partnership Instrument. Lorenzo J. de Rosenzweig Pasquel, Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature, noted his organization is moving from philanthropy to impact investment for biodiversity conservation in Mexico. Among examples, he highlighted: financial support to communities acting as custodians of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, as a result of which illegal logging has “disappeared”; the training of 21 community forestry enterprises to access commercial credits to improve forest management as well as livelihoods; and a planned project to involve various donors for the development of an alternative economy for a region where the critically endangered vaquita is “collateral damage” of illegal totoaba fishing. David Meyers, Biodiversity Finance Initiative of the UN Development Programme (BIOFIN), reviewed IFMs, in particular those in China, noting that the country is one of the 12 most biodiverse countries in the world, has a high number of protected areas, and requires more than €4 billion to finance these protected areas. He highlighted recent innovative finance workshops in China, and said 107 IFMs were identified, including ecological fiscal transfers, ecotourism and payment for ecosystem services (PES). He pointed to IFMs, including: China’s eco-compensation policy; PES projects like “Grain for Green”; biodiversity offsets, highlighting the Forest Vegetation Restoration Fee; biodiversity in climate change funding, pointing to finances from REDD+; biodiversity in international development finance; and capital markets, noting that China has the second largest Green Bond in the world. Colin Herron, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), described the Water Fund as a multi-stakeholder governance mechanism, with science-based decision making and sustainable financing, which is ready deployability. He highlighted that Water Fund partnerships should comprise competing private sector partners, civil society, academia and sports teams, supporting a central theme. On financing, he highlighted the Fondo para la Protección del Agua, which uses a percentage of income from the water utility that is paid into an interest-generating trust fund to finance conservation efforts. He underscored the need to find the “sweet spot” between ecosystem services and public interest, and for a science-based approach to draw investment. Ezzine de Blas highlighted various examples of innovative financing instruments in Europe, including: ecological fiscal transfers in Portugal whereby states have been compensated for their expenditure on biodiversity conservation, which led to six additional regional protected areas in 2008-2016; and the Natural Capital Financing Facility in which the European Investment Bank makes initial investments in natural capital that are expected to attract additional private sector investments. On lessons, he highlighted the need to consider how IFMs can work together with traditional funding mechanisms for a “policy mix” and the possibility of learning from Mexico’s development of dynamic partnerships. In the discussion, participants considered, inter alia: the role of public versus private financing in innovative financial mechanisms; how to bridge the gap between financing and needs; China’s laudable reforestation efforts; and the controversy over water ownership in Mexico. They also raised, among others, the need to base decisions not just on science, but on socio-political questions, such as: whether communities or large soft drink corporations receive the benefits of water conservation, and whether to place offsetting in the same “package” as nature conservation given that it maintains the status quo and is paired with the “destruction” of nature elsewhere. Driss Ezzine de Blas, CIRAD, highlighted the “open question” of whether products that are harmful for biodiversity can be taxed for damage caused. Colin Herron, TNC, linked biodiversity conservation with Star Wars, noting that “biodiversity is what gives us all power,” urging the use of scientific models to make the case for business engagement in biodiversity conservation. Günter Mitlacher, World Wildlife Fund David Meyers, BIOFIN, pointed to markets for green products, noting that ecotourism presents an opportunity with over 82 million visitors to green spaces, drawing RMB 48 billion in 2010 alone, but also noted the pressure created on these green spaces. Lorenzo J. de Rosenzweig Pasquel, Mexican Fund for Nature Conservation, highlighted a financing gap for biodiversity conservation of US$130-440 billion annually, noting governments and the private sector must step in to bridge this gap. Participants during the discussion A view of the room during the event A group photo at the end of the event Contact: Driss Ezzine de Blas (Coordinator) | ezzine@cirad.fr More Information: http://ur-forets-societes.cirad.fr/content/download/4631/37088/version/1/file/CoP13+Bio_Side+event_Finance+Mechanisms_Europe+Mexico++China_16th+Dec.pdf Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Response to the Challenge of Biodiversity Loss Presented by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) This event, moderated by Clarissa Arida, ACB, brought together key partners and stakeholders to share progress and experiences on the ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP) Programme. The second edition of the ASEAN Biodiversity Outlook (ABO2), showcasing developments for biodiversity conservation in the region, was also launched at the event. Berthold Seibert, GIZ, presented the work of the ACB on the protection of biodiversity in ASEAN member states. He reported on three projects: the UN Development Programme’s Small Grants Programme (SGP) project on strengthening biodiversity protection and management of natural resources in line with basic needs of communities in the ASEAN region; and two GIZ projects, on climate change, agriculture and natural resource management, and on cities, transport and energy. Roberto V. Oliva, Executive Director, ACB, said that in 2005, ASEAN leaders made a decision to promote biodiversity protection on a regional basis across the Southeast Asian region to promote regional cooperation for the conservation and sustainable use of, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of, biodiversity. In expressing gratitude for support towards regional cooperation efforts for biodiversity conservation, he presented a plaque of appreciation to CBD Executive Secretary Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias. Dias said biodiversity in Southeast Asia is under intense pressure and urged increased conservation actions. He said collaborations between countries with similar history and social and environmental contexts are the best way to strengthen partnerships, lauding the ASEAN region for achieving regional cooperation in biodiversity conservation. Saroj Srisai, ASEAN Secretariat, presented on the institutional framework of ASEAN cooperation for environmental issues and ASEAN’s efforts for regional and international cooperation for promoting biodiversity conservation. He identified key activities planned for 2017, which prioritize biodiversity, including the ASEAN ‘Biodiversity Heroes’ programme in recognizing outstanding achievements in biodiversity conservation and advocacy within the region, and implementation of an ASEAN-European Union agreement for the management of protected areas. Arida presented the ASEAN-EU Biodiversity Conservation and Management of Protected Areas (BCAMP) project, which is expected to improve effectiveness, generate knowledge and capacity building for biodiversity conservation and protected area management, and mainstream protected area management into development plans and education. Praopan Tongsom, Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), Thailand, presented outcomes of the second ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity held in Thailand in February 2016 (ACB 2016). She highlighted key outcomes in diverse topics including on: agrobiodiversity; mainstreaming biodiversity into national and sectoral plans; and species conservation and wildlife management. Win Naing Thaw, Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, Myanmar, discussed objectives and outcomes of the 5th ASEAN Heritage Parks Conference in sharing experience for solutions, good practices and tools to effectively manage and govern protected areas. He discussed the importance of, inter alia: collaborative partnerships for livelihood development; strategies for the management of invasive alien species (IAS); policy support and internationally-accepted standards for protected area management; and transboundary protected areas and wildlife law enforcement. Sheila Vergara, Director, ACB’s Biodiversity Information Management, presented the second edition of the ABO2. She noted that while ABO1 presented baselines, ABO2 assessed progress based on drivers of biodiversity loss, including climate change, over-exploitation, IAS and pollution. She highlighted ABO2’s four chapters, namely: progress towards achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets; biodiversity and changing environment; priority actions for enhancing implementation; and ABO: 2020 and beyond. L-R: Clarissa Arida, ACB; Saroj Srisai, ASEAN Secretariat; Roberto V. Oliva, Executive Director, ACB; Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary, CBD; and Berthold Seibert, GIZ Clarissa Arida, ACB, said the BCAMP project aims to contribute to global sustainability by ensuring ASEAN’s rich biodiversity is conserved. A slide from Clarissa Arida’s presentation Berthold Seibert, GIZ, explained that the “core business” of ACB at present is to enable implementation of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the biodiversity-related Sustainable Development Goals in the region. Roberto V. Oliva, Executive Director, ACB, stressed that the key for ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity is “implementation, implementation, implementation.” A plaque of appreciation is presented to Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary, CBD, in recognition of his support for regional cooperation for biodiversity conservation. Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary, CBD, said he looks forward to seeing commitments of the ASEAN region translated into good action showcased at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) of the CBD to be held in Beijing, China. Saroj Srisai, ASEAN Secretariat, emphasized that ASEAN is working closely with international development partners in promoting biodiversity conservation. Win Naing Thaw, Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, Myanmar, said the ACB supports capacity building for protected area management according to identified needs for management planning, law enforcement and standard setting. Praopan Tongsom, ONEP, Thailand, said ACB 2016 was useful in enabling ASEAN member states prepare for CBD COP 13. Members of ASEAN region witnessed the launch of the second edition of the ASEAN Biodiversity Outlook. Contact: Clarissa Arida (Coordinator) | ccarida@aseanbiodiversity.org More Information: www.aseanbiodiversity.org Around the Venue Your ENBOTS team at CBD COP 13 (L-R) Vijay Krishnan Kolinjivadi, Canada; Dorothy Wanja Nyingi, Kenya; Cleo Verkuijl, Zimbabwe/the Netherlands; Diego Noguera, Colombia; and Tallash Kantai, Kenya/Uganda

On Wednesday, 14 December, delegates continued negotiations on draft decisions in the Working Groups (WG), contact groups, and Friends of the Chair groups. WG I addressed draft decisions under the Cartagena Protocol on: the roster of experts; cooperation with other conventions; the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH); socioeconomic considerations; and assessment and review. WG I further addressed draft decisions under the Nagoya Protocol on: cooperation with other conventions; the ABS Clearing-House; and the financial mechanism. WG II addressed a draft decision on ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs). Contact groups and Friends of the Chair groups met throughout the day to address: Article 8(j) (traditional knowledge); risk assessment and risk management of living modified organisms (LMOs); mainstreaming; synergies; capacity building; the financial mechanism; and sequence information on genetic resources. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the UN Biodiversity Conference. The summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Working Group I L-R: Valerie Normand, CBD Secretariat; WG I Chair Mette Gervin Damsgaard (Denmark); and Ravi Sharma, CBD Secretariat Gurdial Singh, Malaysia Pierre du Plessis, Namibia Leo Maier, EU Marina Hernández, Dominican Republic Xu Jing, China Antonietta Gutiérrez-Rosati, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Peru Felipe Costa, Brazil Anne-Gabrielle Wüst-Saucy, Switzerland L-R: Edda Fernández and Elleli Huerta Ocampo, Mexico Delegates from the Republic of Korea consulting L-R: Jaqueline Monterre, Edis Solórzano, Carliz Díaz, and Anabel Arvelaez, Venezuela Working Group II WG II Chair Malta Qwathekana (South Africa) consulting with the Secretariat Alexander Shestakov, the Russian Federation Clarissa Nina, Brazil Sigurdur Thrainsson, Iceland Vittorio de Cristofaro, Italy Jin Han Kim, Republic of Korea François Lengrand, France Eugenia Arguedas, Costa Rica Anthony Foronda, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) Martijn Pijs, EU Gabriella Blatter, Switzerland Elpidio Peria, the Philippines L-R: Mark Zimsky and Yoko Watanabe, Global Environment Facility (GEF) L-R: Marina von Weissenberg and Ilkka Heikkinen, Finland L-R: Joni Jackson, Stewart Panton, and Andrea Donaldson, Jamaica COP 13 Snapshots Internet computer stations Posters from the CEPA fair Flags of UN member states

On Tuesday, 13 December, an afternoon plenary held an interactive dialogue on “Living in Harmony with Nature.” Delegates also approved Egypt as host of COP 14 and related Protocol meetings; and Turkey as host of COP 16 and Protocol meetings. Working Group I approved, with minor amendments, a conference room paper (CRP) on progress in the implementation of the awareness-raising strategy; and further addressed CRPs on capacity building under the Nagoya Protocol and the Cartagena Protocol. Working Group II approved, with minor amendments, CRPs on: key scientific and technical needs related to Strategic Plan implementation, including voluntary guidance to improve the accessibility of biodiversity-related data and information; and the glossary under Article 8(j) (traditional knowledge). Working Group II further addressed invasive alien species, and biodiversity and human health. Deliberations continued in contact groups and Friends of the Chair groups on: mainstreaming; unintentional transboundary movement of living modified organisms; financial resources; synergies; synthetic biology; capacity building; and the budget. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the UN Biodiversity Conference. The summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Working Group I WG I Chair Mette Gervin Damsgaard (Denmark) Neva Collings, IIFB Sonia Peña Moreno, IUCN Delegates from Indonesia and India Delegates from Morocco consulting Delegates from Belgium Edis Solórzano, Venezuela Maria Luisa Angelica Del Rio Mispireta, Peru Sonia Tomassone, Paraguay Jorge Ernesto Quezada Diaz, El Salvador Lilian Chimphepo, Malawi Naoki Nakayama, Japan Victor Cantón, Uruguay David Hafashimana, Uganda Hans Romang, Switzerland Working Group II L-R: WG II Chair Malta Qwathekana (South Africa) and Lisa Janishevski, CBD Secretariat Elizabeth Munro, Cook Islands Aboubacar Oularé, Guinea Ana Di Pangracio, Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN) Atelaite Matoto, Tonga Flora Mpanju, African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) Clarissa Arida, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) Sol Ortiz García, Mexico Win Naing Thaw, Myanmar Leticia Pastor, Cuba L-R: Asta Einarsdottir and Sigurdur Thrainsson, Iceland L-R: Akram Eissa Darwich, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW); Belal Al Hayek, Syria; and Katherine Miller, IFAW Plenary L-R: John Scott, CBD Secretariat; Rafael Pacchiano Alamán, COP 13 President; CBD Executive Secretary Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias; Diego Pacheco Balanza, Vice-Minister of Planning and Coordination, Bolivia; Tohru Nakashizuka, Tohoku University, Japan; Peninah Zaninka, representative of the Batwa Community, Uganda; Monsignor Ramón Macías, Secretary of State, the Holy See; and Vicky Tauli-Corpuz, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Vicky Tauli-Corpuz, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Peninah Zaninka, Batwa Community, Uganda Diego Pacheco Balanza, Vice-Minister of Planning and Coordination, Bolivia Monsignor Ramón Macías, Secretary of State, the Holy See Tohru Nakashizuka, Tohoku University, Japan Dana Perls, Friends of the Earth Lily Rodriguez, International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) Juan Mateos, National Coordinator for COP 13, Mexico Edda Fernández, Mexico Lia Lopez, IIFB Adem Bilgin, Turkey, announced that Turkey will host COP 16 Khaled Fahmy, Minister of Environment, Egypt, announced that Egypt will host COP 14 COP 13 Snapshots CONABIO booth Jose Carlos Fernandez Ugalde with Lorenzo Fernandez L-R: Álvaro Toledo and Kent Nnadozie, International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR)

The theme for the Rio Conventions Pavilion (RCP) on Monday, 12 December, was Protected Areas: “Partnerships for improving natural wealth for achieving global targets and for addressing global challenges.” The session provided a forum to discuss the status of implementation of Aichi Target 11 (protected areas) and national "roadmaps" of prioriy actions; how the roadmaps contribute to achieving the Target; and helping countries in implementing their roadmap in order to achieve multiple benefits. The EU, UNDP, Japan Biodiversity Fund, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), Governments of Germany, Republic of Korea, India, Mexico, Brazil, GEF, Birdlife International, IUCN, Institut de la Francophonie pour le Développement Durable (IFDD), Red Latinoamericana de Cooperación Técnica en Parques Naturales, Áreas Protegidas, Fauna y Flora Silvestre (REDPAQUES) and Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) were co-organizers. In the morning session, participants heard about progress in implementing Aichi Target 11 and national roadmaps. Session 1 showcased experiences from the Asia and Pacific region, with presentations from India, Fiji, SPREP and ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity. Session 2 focused on Africa, with experiences from South Africa and Uganda, and on support from Germany and IFDD. In the afternoon, Session 3 on Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC) focused on Mexico and Brazil, and the work of REDPARQUES. Session 4 presented perspectives from Europe, including the Governments of Albania and Malta, the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) and IUCN/WCPA Global Programme, Europe. The last Session featured presentations by the GEF Secretariat, BirdLife International, UNEP/WCMC, and Indigenous Peoples' and Community Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCA) Consortium. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary report from RCP at CBD COP 13. A summary of the Rio Conventions Pavilion events is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Opening Session L-R: Sarat Babu Gidda, CBD Secretariat; Stefan Leiner, European Commission, Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary, CBD; Matthias Krause, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany; Neville Ash, UN Environment (UNEP); Jamison Ervin, UN Development Programme (UNDP); and Trevor Sandwith, IUCN Sarat Babu Gidda, CBD Secretariat Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary, CBD Stefan Leiner, European Commission Neville Ash, UNEP Matthias Krause, BMZ, Germany Sarat Babu Gidda, CBD Secretariat, Edjigayehu Seyoum, CBD Secretariat, and David Cooper, Deputy Executive Secretary, CBD, thank Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary, CBD, for his work in advancing Protected Areas around the world Session 1: Asia and Pacific Region L-R: Vinod Mathur, Wildlife Institute of India; Eleni Tokaduadua, Ministry of Local Government, Urban Development, Housing and Environment, Fiji; Stuart Chape, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP); Roberto Oliva, Executive Director, Asian Nations (ASEAN) Centre for Biodiversity (ACB); and Ignacio March, National Commission for Natural Protected Areas, Mexico Ignacio March, National Commission for Natural Protected Areas, Mexico Vinod Mathur, Wildlife Institute of India Eleni Tokaduadua, Ministry of Local Government, Urban Development, Housing and Environment, Fiji Stuart Chape, SPREP Session 2: Africa Region View of the panel during the session Aggret Rwetsiba, Uganda Wildlife Authority Thanduxolo Mkefe, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa Participants in the session engage with the panel Session 3: Latin America and Caribbean Group (GRULAC) View of the panel during the session Jamison Ervin, UNDP Ugo Vercillo, Chico Mendes Institute, Brazil Cláudio Maretti, IUCN Participants during the session Session 4: Europe Marie Therese Gambin, Environment and Planning Authority, Malta Klodiana Marika, Ministry of Environment, Albania Grégoire Dubois, EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) Session 5: Presentation by Other Partners Grazia Borrini-Feyerabend, ICCA Consortium Pepe Clarke, BirdLife International Naomi Kingston, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) Trevor Sandwith, IUCN Mark Zimsky, GEF Secretariat Launch of the 'Protected Planet' Report Partners of the 'Protected Planet' report and participants in the session join hands in support for the implementation of the National Priority Actions on Protected Areas for achieving multiple benefits Around the Venue

On Tuesday, 6 December, Working Group I discussed: implementation of Aichi Target 16 on the Nagoya Protocol; the third assessment and review of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; monitoring and reporting under the Cartagena Protocol; compliance under both Protocols; assessment and review under the Nagoya Protocol; and resource mobilization and the financial mechanism under the Convention and both its Protocols. WG II addressed: invasive alien species (IAS); synthetic biology; pollinators; geoengineering; sustainable wildlife management; mainstreaming biodiversity; biodiversity and climate change; forest biodiversity; ecosystem restoration; progress towards Aichi Targets 11 (protected areas) and 12 (threatened species); and biodiversity and human health. Contact groups on IAS, ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs) and synthetic biology met throughout the day. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the UN Biodiversity Conference. The summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Working Group I L-R: Yibin Xiang, Manoela Pessoa de Miranda and Markus Lehmann, CBD Secretariat; WG I Chair Mette Gervin Damsgaard, and Ravi Sharma, CBD Secretariat Prudence Tangham Galega, Cameroon Cai Lei, China Hoang Thi Thanh Nhan, Viet Nam El Khitma El Awad Mohammed Ahmed, Sudan Wadzi Mandivenyi, South Africa Dubrovka Stepic, Croatia Mariana Bellot, Mexico Mahaletchumy Arujanan, Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre Simone Lovera, Global Forest Coalition (GFC) L-R: Alejandro Lago, Santiago Carrizosa, Onno van den Heuvel, and David Meyers, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Chizuru Aoki, Global Environment Facility (GEF) Working Group II WG II dais Leina Al-Awadhi, Kuwait Ricarda Steinbrecher, Federation of German Scientists Ana María Hernández Salgar, Colombia Sorka Jannet Copa Romero, Bolivia L-R: Allen Rojas, Eugenia Arguedas and Angela Gonzales, Costa Rica L-R: Jim Louter and Brad Fraleigh, Canada Mitzi Gurgel Valente da Costa, Brazil Meenakumari Kunnuthara, India Contact Group: Synthetic Biology Delegates at the contact group on synthetic biology View of the contact group on synthetic biology COP 13 Snapshots ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity booth L-R: Enrique Lendo and Juan Mateos, Mexico, with Sabrina Shaw, IISD “ Voices from the Good Earth,” an installation by Silas Birtwistle and Adam Birtwistle in collaboration with the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) Participants at the COP 13 documentation counter COP 13 mini guide

On Friday, 2 December 2016, the High-Level Segment (HLS) of the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP13) opened in Cancún, Mexico. Ministers and Heads of Delegation met in plenary in the morning. Two roundtables on agriculture and tourism convened in parallel in the afternoon, moderated by José Calzada, Minister of Agriculture, Mexico and Enrique de la Madrid, Minister of Tourism, Mexico, respectively. The fourth Midori Prize for Biodiversity honoring outstanding contributions to conservation and sustainable use at local and global levels was awarded to Alfonso Aguirre-Muñoz, Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas, Mexico; Yury Darman, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Russia; and Vandana Shiva, Founder and Director, Navdanya, India. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the UN Biodiversity Conference. The summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Opening Plenary of the High-Level Segment View of the High-Level Segment plenary Chun Kyoo Park, Director-General, Nature Conservation Bureau, Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea Rafael Pacchiano Alamán, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mexico Helen Clark, Administrator, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Miguel Ruíz Cabañas, Vice-Minister of Multilatreal Affairs and Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mexico Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility (GEF) Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Cristiana Pașca Palmer, Minister of Environment, Water and Forests, Romania, and incoming Executive Secretary, CBD Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General, UN World Torurism Organization (UNWTO) Inger Andersen, Director-General, IUCN Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Gino Van Begin, Secretary-General, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability Elisa Romano Dezolt, Chair, CBD Global Partnership for Business and Biodiversity José Sarukhán Kermez, National Coordinator, National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity of Mexico (CONABIO) Maria Eugenia Choque Quispe, UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) Christian Schwarzer and Melina Sakiyama, representatives of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) L-R: Midori Prize winners Alfonso Aguirre-Muñoz, Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas, Mexico; Yury Darman, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Russia; and Vandana Shiva, Founder and Director, Navdanya, India HLS Round Tables: Agriculture and Tourism José Calzada, Minister of Agriculture, Mexico, moderated the roundtable on Agriculture Luis Urriza, Undersecretary of Agriculture, Argentina Maggie Barry, Minister of Conservation, New Zealand Lars Andreas Lunde, State Secretary for Environment, Norway Delegates at the roundtable on agriculture Barbara Pompili, Minister of State for Biodiversity, France Yoshihiro Seki, State Minister of Environment, Japan Joshua Wycliffe, Permanent Secretary for Local Government, Housing and Environment, Fiji Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General, UN World Tourism Organization and Enrique de la Madrid, Minister of Tourism, Mexico Delegates at the roundtable on tourism COP13 Snapshots Participants from the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity and UNEP