IPLC

Working Group Co-Chairs Francis Ogwal and Basile van Havre gaveling the meeting to an end. The second meeting of the Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (WG) resumed for the final day on Saturday to address pending issues, including negotiations on the zero draft of the global biodiversity framework (GBF). Delegates heard a report back from the contact group on Tools and Solutions for Implementation and Mainstreaming, and agreed on elements presented in the group’s report compiled by the co-leads. The WG thereafter reviewed and approved the final recommendations of the meeting with minor amendments, and adopted the meeting’s report.During the closing session, Elizabeth Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), said while all roads led to Rome for the second meeting of the WG, the journey to generate a clear, actionable, and transformative GBF continues.  Providing regional statements: The African Group, noting the increased level of ambition based on new elements included into the GBF, called for additional funds for implementation; The EU said the GBF should be realistic and ambitious enough to communicate and engage everyone in the desired transformative change; The Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC) said the desire to conserve biodiversity is clearly reflected in the GBF’s ambitions, but cautioned that financial resources have always been the “Achilles heal of the CBD”; New Zealand, on behalf of a group of non-EU developed countries, emphasized the need to involve indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), women, youth, subnational and local governments, and the private sector in order to provide a roadmap for transformative actions; and Central and Eastern Europe noted the importance of measurable indicators and called for sharing of outcomes of upcoming consultative meetings. As weary delegates arrived in plenary on the last day of the meeting of the WG, words of praise and thanks were abundant for the hard work and constructive participation of co-chairs, co-leads, the secretariat, delegates, and participants. The lengthy report from the contact group on Tools and Solutions for Implementation and Mainstreaming, showcased the extensive discussions held during the last meeting of the contact group, which lasted untill midnight on Friday. The late session induced some delegates to blame minor confusions with respect to the report of the contact group on a “lack of sleep” and excitement to “wrap up the meeting.” As the time for closing statements rolled around, delegates continued to praise the tone and collaborative spirit of the meeting, yet highlighted the extensive amount of work yet to be done. Elizabeth Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary, CBD highlighted that “time is not on our side,” especially in light of the great number of requests made in Rome. Yet, she expressed confidence that the WG will succeed and deliver a robust and ambitious GBF in Kunming to reverse biodiversity loss, end the cycle of destruction, and ensure that future generations will not have to face a planet irreversibly damaged by human activity.Co-Chairs Basile Van Havre and Francis Ogwal, gaveled the meeting to a close at 5:44 pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily digital coverage. Α summary and analysis report from the 2nd Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Elizabeth Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary, CBD Secretariat Naoki Nakayama, Japan Andrea Cruz-Angón, Mexico Martha Mphatso Kalemba, Malawi Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, India Reinhard Schnidrig, Switzerland Jorge Murillo, Colombia Tia Stevens, Australia Jane Stratford, UK From L-R: Evelyn Vera Barreto, Mexico; Ines Verleye, Belgium; and Gabriele Obermayr, Austria Aleksandr Proskurin, Russian Federation Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, CBD Secretariat Charlotta Sörqvist, Sweden Delegates from the EU conferring during a break in negotiations Yangzhao Sun, China View of the dais during the plenary Working Group Co-Chair Francis Ogwal Working Group Co-Chair Basile van Havre Charlotta Sörqvist, Sweden, conferring with the Secretariat Leonardo Cleaver de Athayde, Brazil Joaquín Salzberg, Argentina The Costa Rican delegation (with Francisco the Sloth) Guilherme da Costa, Guinea-Bissau Alfred Oteng Yeboah, Ghana Christine Samwaroo, Guyana Rosemary Paterson, New Zealand Rapporteur Lyna Al-Awathi, Kuwait Neville Ash, UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)  

Events Covered on Monday, 9 December 2019 Support sculpture by Lorenzo Quinn The following events were covered by IISD Reporting Services on Monday, 9 December 2019: Enhancing Engagement of the Private Sector in Adaptation Planning and Implementation The Role of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in Blended Finance Nature-Based Solutions on the Ground (SDG 15): UN Support to People and Landscapes Low-Emissions Solutions Conference (LESC) Dinner Dialogue on “The Circular Economy: Driving Systems Transformation to Net-Zero” Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth/Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Enhancing Engagement of the Private Sector in Adaptation Planning and Implementation Presented by the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Group photo at the end of the event This event provided an update on the Adaptation Committee’s work and discussed advances in private sector engagement. The event also presented and gathered feedback on a toolkit under preparation, which will enable policymakers to more effectively engage the private sector, especially in the process of formulating and implementing national adaptation plans (NAPs). Emerson Resende, Green Climate Fund (GCF), moderated this event. Bertrand Piccard, Solar Impulse Foundation, stressed that while adaptation is expensive, climate change mitigation is profitable. He reported that his foundation is selecting 1000 solutions that protect the environment in a profitable way, and noted that over 300 solutions have been identified and will be awarded the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label. Frédéric Schafferer, UNFCCC Adaptation Committee, discussed the Committee’s milestones in private sector engagement, citing knowledge collection, a workshop on fostering engagement of agri-food sector in climate change adaptation, and the Adaptation Forum during the Republic of Korea’s Global Adaptation Week. Alec Crawford, NAP Global Network, said the toolkit for private sector engagement, inter alia: lays the groundwork and provides enabling conditions for involvement; assesses vulnerabilities, provides options, and communicates NAP processes to the private sector; provides the enabling conditions to address private sector needs; and addresses monitoring and evaluation requirements. Meghan Doherty, Winrock International, spoke on the Private Investment for Enhanced Resilience (PIER) project, noting work in Viet Nam to help private sector adaptation engagement. She reported that accessing climate data remains a challenge to developing adaptation and resilience policies. Trần Thị Thanh Nga, Viet Nam, noted that the private sector faces barriers to adaptation, including the difficulty in quantifying adaptation activities, and pointed to a dearth of data and information to drive adaptation. Santiago Aparicio, Colombia, pointed to the country’s information system developed through GCF financing and highlighted Colombia’s communication strategy on adaptation geared toward various stakeholders, including the private sector. Chris Brown, Olam International, underlined the need for urgency within governments to create an enabling environment for the private sector to respond to both climate change and the market. This session was followed by an interactive panel discussion. On improving engagement with the private sector, Crawford stressed the importance of communicating the profitability of adaptation to businesses. Brown said supporting private sector resilience enables improved business functions and profitability. On who pays for adaptation, Doherty cited Peru’s tax incentives for businesses that support community projects, as an example. Nga said that while government has been the main adaptation funder, private sector funds have increased. Discussing providing opportunities for the private sector, Aparicio, drew attention to existing policies that identify risks and provide opportunities for innovative adaptation, citing the green growth public policy. Crawford said private sector adaptation decisions can led to increased profitability, while increasing resilience among communities. Alec Crawford, NAP Global Network Bertrand Piccard, Solar Impulse Foundation Frédéric Schafferer, UNFCCC Adaptation Committee Moderator Emerson Resende, GCF Meghan Doherty, Winrock International Chris Brown, Olam International Santiago Aparicio, Colombia A view of the panel during the discussion CONTACT David Oehmen, UNFCCC Secretariat | doehmen@unfccc.int MORE INFORMATION https://unfccc.int/Adaptation-Committee The Role of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in Blended Finance Presented by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Posted by IISD Reporting Services video for Monday, 9 December 2019 This event discussed how climate finance mechanisms are using development capital to mobilize additional private finance to drive green investments, and create new markets for climate finance. Panelists discussed engagement between development finance institutions (DFIs) and climate finance institutions to scale investments and develop a roadmap with a common goal. This event also demonstrated how innovative equity, grant, guarantee and lending instruments deployed by the GCF and the GEF are used to de-risk scalable projects and contribute to achieving the commitments of the Paris Agreement in developing countries. Barbara Buchner, Executive Director, Climate Finance, Climate Policy Initiative, moderated the event. During the first panel, the GEF and GCF discussed their motivation and role in providing project structures that have had a catalytic impact of blending project capital stacks. Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson said nature is heterogenous and thus managing natural resources requires blended finances, adding that partnerships are the beauty of blended finance. She emphasized the need for radical changes in economic pathways and financing to support a shift to circular systems of food production and energy efficiency, among others. Yannick Glemarec, GCF Executive Director, said investments follow a risk-reward gradient, and that blended finance provides projects with a fighting chance by enabling risk management. He noted that when projects are branded unbankable, investors focus on risk and steer away from seeing the risk-reward gradient. The GCF, he said, focuses on de-risking in order to attract investments. Providing an example from renewable energy investment in Kenya, he noted the provision of equity capital that enabled a small/medium-sized enterprise (SME) to receive two dollars from banks for every dollar of financing disbursed for the project. Sir Nicholas Stern, Chair, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics, emphasized that investment opportunities should be supported by the right policies and finances, saying blended finances can do this. He noted the need to manage risk, particularly in regards to infrastructure, adding that a flexible policy environment combined with blended finance can enhance investor confidence. On why private institutions should be interested in working with the GCF and the GEF, Glemarec said the GCF is fostering a paradigm shift towards low emissions development in low income countries. He highlighted: 95 acredidated partners for co-financing and co-implementation; grant and non-grant instruments that are specific to different projects; and mechanisms to reduce or share risk by ensuring projects are aligned to national priorities. The GEF, Ishii said, shares the vision of the GCF in promoting a paradigm shift, and has a long-term history of working with governments to contribute to challenges and benefits of tranforming key economic sectors. The second panel discussed: misperceptions of investment risk into low emissions development pathways; ways to avoid crowding out private investment and ensure optimization and making public climate finance catalytic; and lessons from blended finance to achieve the scale up necessary to achieve both mitigation and adaptation investment. Jay Koh, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Lightsmith Group, said lessons from successful mitigation models that have been scaled into investment opportunities can be applied in adaptation. He cited the Climate Resilience and Adaptation Finance and Technology-transfer Facility (CRAFT), funded by the Nordic Development Fund and the GEF, to support the development and launch of the first private sector investment strategy for climate adaptation and resilience solutions. Ed Wells, Head of Group Policy, Sustainable Finance and Investment, HSBC, said that modalities of reducing or protecting projects from risk exist, noting that rather than reinventing them, success stories should be replicated, scaled up and standardized. Hans Peter Lankes, Vice-President, Economics and Private Sector Development, International Finance Cooperation (IFC), cautioned against trying to solve or patch up policy problems with blended finance, and emphasised the need for transparency and full disclosure by investors on their activities. He remarked that the IFC is in the process of disclosing on its concessions. Josué Tanaka, Managing Director, Operational Strategy and Planning, Energy Efficiecy and Climate Change, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), said policy “is the turbo engine for everything,” adding that policy change and the amount of concessional funds invested are related. He noted that blended finances should be used to facilitate the retirement of carbon intensive stock, such as fossil fuel investments. Andrew Johnstone, CEO, Climate Investor One, said bankability should be debunked since investors are not a homogenous group and require the right incentives. He urged for blended finance to break through “sacred cows” that cause limitations on what is bankable or not, and thereby build confidence for first time investors. L-R: Yannick Glemarec, GCF Executive Director; Moderator Barbara Buchner, Executive Director, Climate Finance, Climate Policy Initiative; Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson, and Sir Nicholas Stern, Chair, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson Yannick Glemarec, GCF Executive Director Sir Nicolas Stern, Chair, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics Moderator Barbara Buchner, Executive Director, Climate Finance, Climate Policy Initiative Participants during the panel discussions L-R: Andrew Johnstone, CEO, Climate Investor One; Josué Tanaka, Managing Director, Operational Strategy and Planning, Energy Efficiecy and Climate Change, EBRD; Moderator Barbara Buchner, Executive Director, Climate Finance, Climate Policy Initiative; Hans Peter Lankes, Vice-President, Economics and Private Sector Development, IFC; Ed Wells, Head of Group Policy, Sustainable Finance and Investment, HSBC; and Jay Koh, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Lightsmith Group Jay Koh, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Lightsmith Group Ed Wells, Head of Group Policy, Sustainable Finance and Investment, HSBC Josué Tanaka, Managing Director, Operational Strategy and Planning, Energy Efficiecy and Climate Change, EBRD Andrew Johnstone, CEO, Climate Investor One Hans Peter Lankes, Vice-President, Economics and Private Sector Development, IFC CONTACT Robert Bisset, Head of Communications, GEF | rbisset@thegef.org MORE INFORMATION https://www.greenclimate.fund/cop https://www.thegef.org/events/gef-unfccc-cop25 Nature-Based Solutions on the Ground (SDG 15): UN Support to People and Landscapes Presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD), and the UN University (UNU) Group photo at the end of the event This event, which featured four panels, brought together UN agencies and partners representing indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), the private sector, and youth to demonstrate collaborative actions between agencies, funds and programmes to address climate issues through the lens of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on SDG 15 (life on land). In his opening remarks, Ovais Sarmad, Deputy Executive Secretary, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), noted the importance of building bridges between the UN, youth, and IPLCs to address land issues in 2020 nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Luis Alfonso de Alba, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the 2019 Climate Action Summit, remarked that multi-stakeholder participation contributed to the success of the 2019 Climate Action Summit, lauding the involvement of youth, IPLCs, local and sub-national authorities, and the private sector. He noted that the solutions to address climate change will require all actors, and underscored that a single agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, has unified the UN. Grethel Aguilar, Acting Director General, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), underscored the role of nature-based solutions, noting that land conservation can provide 30% of mitigation potential required to meet the 2°C target. Noting that land restoration pledges of over 100 million hectares have been secured through the Bonn Challenge, she also called for urgent action to reverse the threats to the oceans. Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary, UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), stressed the importance of focusing on land degradation neutrality as an essential link to addressing climate change as well as to achieving the SDGs. Calling for an allocation of 30% of climate financing kitty for land-based solutions, he further stressed that people, partnerships and landscapes are key to addressing the complex issues within the climate crisis. Opining that the time for negotiations is over, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, SDG Advocate, called for solutions to enable indigenous peoples to address climate change and implementation of rights-based approaches. Underlining the importance of technology working hand in hand with indigenous knowledge, she underscored that nature-based solutions cut across all the SDGs. Moderating the panel on land-based mitigation, Mario Boccucci, Head, UN-REDD Programme, reiterated the importance of partnerships and “defragmenting the space” to achieve global goals. He described UN-REDD as a partnership with countries, civil society and IPLCs, noting that “if you want to go far, work together.” Lamenting the criminalization of indigenous people around the world, Grace Balawag, Tebtebba, highlighted that IPLCs have been the holders of traditional knowledge and nature-based solutions for generations. She noted work with national and local governments to change policies to recognize IPLC land tenure rights, and underlined the importance of enhancing partnerships, based on mutual trust and respect to maintain IPLCs’ contributions in nature-based solutions. Danilo Urzedo, Youth4Nature, highlighted that national and international level actions in Brazil have helped link innovation with local knowledge. He lamented that the new government has frozen USD 500 million of funds earmarked for Amazon conservation. Noting that the conservation momentum is waning due to lack of funding and support, he called for global multi-stakeholder participation in community-led mitigation and adaptation. Fabiola Zerbini, Tropical Forest Alliance (TFA) 2020, noted that voluntary agreements, like the soy moratorium, are important instruments for private sector engagement. She also highlighted the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships to implement jurisdictional approaches, and called for solidarity among stakeholders to address socio-economic challenges, rather than boycotting companies and products. Nigel Crawhall, UNESCO, moderated the adaptation panel. José  Cardoso Cassandra, President of the Regional Government of Príncipe, São Tomé and Príncipe, highlighted the country’s shift from wood-based construction to a low-carbon construction system. He further discussed UNESCO’s support for programmes including: replacing plastic bottles with metal ones; awareness-building and education; beach cleanups; and promoting conservation through biosphere reserves. Drawing attention to a partnership with UNESCO to address climate change, Oumarou Ibrahim described IPLCs’ improved awareness of climate change due to their experiences on the front lines of climate impacts, and stressed that “we cannot fight climate change without community involvement.” Ana Vitória Tereza de Magalhães, Youth Forum of Biosphere Reserves, reported on UNESCO’s work with the Forum, stressing the application of nature-based solutions in biosphere reserves to promote climate change adaptation. Stating that the climate crisis is a “crisis of values,” she highlighted opportunities to learn from IPLC-led nature-based solutions to address the crisis. Stefan Schneiderbauer, UNU, moderated the discussion on mountain ecosystems. Norma Kassi, Vuntut Gwich’in First Nation and Canada Mountain Network, highlighted the benefits of mountains for humans and ecosystems, highlighting the threat posed by melting glaciers to mountain communities. She reported on government support to address challenges facing indigenous communities, stating that these communities are leading the way in climate solutions, including through renewable energy technologies. Ovais Sarmad, Deputy Executive Secretary, UNFCCC Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary, UNCCD Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, SDG Advocate Luis Alfonso de Alba, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the 2019 Climate Action Summit Grethel Aguilar, Acting Director General, IUCN Group photo at the end of the first panel Mario Boccucci, Head, UN-REDD Programme Grace Balawag, Tebtebba Danilo Urzedo, Youth4Nature Fabiola Zerbini, TFA 2020 Group photo at the end of the second panel José  Cardoso Cassandra, President of the Regional Government of Príncipe, São Tomé and Príncipe Ana Vitória Tereza de Magalhães, Youth Forum of Biosphere Reserves Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, SDG Advocate, addresses participants. Group photo at the end of the third panel Moderator Stefan Schneiderbauer, UNU Norma Kassi, Vuntut Gwich’in First Nation and Canada Mountain Network Marcos Montoiro, UNCCD Secretariat, takes a photo of the panel. Nigel Crawhall, UNESCO CONTACT Florian Eisele, UN-REDD Programme | florian.eisele@unep.org Nigel Crawhall, UNESCO | n.crawhall@unesco.org MORE INFORMATION www.un-redd.org https://en.unesco.org/themes/addressing-climate-change/cop25 http://www.fao.org/climate-change/international-fora/major-events/cop-25/en/ Low-Emissions Solutions Conference (LESC) Dinner Dialogue on “The Circular Economy: Driving Systems Transformation to Net-Zero” Presented by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) A view of the room during the event The Low-Emissions Solutions Conference (LESC) at COP 25 dinner convened to promote dialogue among business, government, academia and UN affiliates on what it means to realize a circular economy in various sectors, and key solutions to reach net zero emissions across all sectors by 2050. In joint opening remarks, ICLEI President Ashok Sridharan and SDSN Director Jeffrey Sachs noted, respectively, encouraging initiatives such as the ICLEI Green Circular Cities Coalition and the need to pressure governments in the next year to commit to net-zero emissions by 2050. Sachs further warned against the “big lie” that such commitments are detrimental to the economy, suggesting in doing so that “the world can no longer tolerate this self-destruction.” Peter Bakker, WBCSD President and CEO, in a keynote address titled “Driving Ambition to Net Zero,” underscored that “we know what we need to do, we now need to get it done.” He said policymakers must put a price on carbon, better manage the risks of climate change, and end all fossil fuel subsidies. He called on leaders in the audience to develop solutions without overreliance on outcomes of climate negotiations, considering their slow pace. In a first Ice-Breaker Dialogue on a systems approach to mitigate emissions, a number of participants urged for, among others, the decarbonization of production and the electrification of consumption, as well as for careful consideration of the behavioral changes required for the transition towards a circular economy. Ramiro Mato, Member of the Board and President of the Responsible Banking, Sustainability and Culture Board Committee, Banco Santander, underlined the role of the financial sector in mobilizing the capital to achieve net zero emissions. Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility (GEF), said the GEF Global Platform on Sustainable Cities had seen businesses and local authorities working together successfully despite political constraints. Bertrand Piccard, Solar Impulse Foundation, said it is essential to use language that compels those most sceptical about climate action. He added that there is “one advantage to climate negotiations taking so much time and bringing almost nothing,” namely that it creates frustration in the business world, which drives businesses to change their business models to address climate change. Izabella Teixeira, Co-Chair, International Resource Panel, said the Paris Agreement was a first step towards a massive societal transformation and new political environment during which “we will implement and no longer negotiate.” Marina Grossi, President, Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSD) Brazil, said that the Brazilian private sector is taking the lead in lobbying for better government regulation that would embrace carbon pricing, among others. During the second Ice-Breaker Dialogue, which considered what the circular economy means for the energy, buildings, transport, water, and industrial sectors, participants noted, among others, the need for cooperation across sectors to develop new solutions, calling for systemic rather than sectoral transformations. Bill Peduto, Mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US, said his city once recovered from an economic crash by investing in clean energy, technology and medicine, but that this recovery model was now in jeopardy due to petrochemical companies seeking to relocate to the region. Minna Arve, Mayor of Turku, Finland, noted that Turku was able to reduce emissions by 30% from 1990 levels while maintaining economic growth. She later described two circular economy efforts conducted in parallel: those undertaken by her city, which she said were environmentally friendly, “energy positive” and cost effective; and those undertaken to promote circularity among businesses in her region. Gonzalo Muñoz, High-Level Climate Action Champion, Chile, delivered a closing keynote during which he recalled that Dutch business leader Paul Polman once presciently told him that, “for any organization in the world, there are two big risks: climate change and inequality.” After saluting Spain’s offer to host COP 25 in the wake of Chile’s social unrest, he said the latter was due to a “crisis of empathy” with the most vulnerable. He reminded the audience that those taking decisions on climate change and inequality are not those suffering their worst effects, and underlined that we must “both take action, as well as take the most vulnerable into consideration.” María Mendiluce, Managing Director, WBCSD, closed the event with brief final remarks. Jeff Sachs, SDSN Director, and Ashok Sridharan, ICLEI President, delivered opening remarks. Bill Peduto, Mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US Peter Bakker, WBCSD President and CEO María Mendiluce, Managing Director, WBCSD Participants during the event CONTACT Karl Vella, WBCSD | vella@wbcsd.org MORE INFORMATION https://lowemissions.solutions/event/lesc-at-cop25-dinner/ Around the Venue Youth at COP 25

Highlights for Friday, 29 November 2019 SBSTTA 23 Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz Delegates to the 23rd meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical, and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 23) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), concluded their deliberations, approving draft recommendations to the Conference of the Parties (COP) on: the links between nature and culture; new and emerging issues; biodiversity and climate change; Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) in the North-East Atlantic Ocean; sustainable wildlife management; technical and scientific cooperation; and the scientific and technical base of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. Lengthy deliberations took place under the agenda items on biodiversity and climate change, technical and scientific cooperation, and the post-2020 framework. The final recommendations on nature and culture, and climate change and biodiversity contain bracketed text. In closing remarks, Elizabeth Mrema, Officer-in-Charge of the CBD Secretariat, thanked all participants for their collaboration, flexibility, and perseverance. She pointed out that the technical and scientific evidence base has been further strengthened to provide essential guidance for the development of the post-2020 framework. She expressed her confidence that in cooperation with partner conventions, institutions, and stakeholders, renewed biodiversity goals and targets can be agreed on in time. Suriname, for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), stressed the importance of healthy ecosystems for poverty eradication, food security, and essential ecosystem services, emphasizing they represent an important element of identity and culture. She called for necessary capacity building, scientific and technical assistance, and technology transfer to support SIDS. The EU noted the recent alarming scientific reports on biodiversity loss, stressing that SBSTTA 23 results will support the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to craft a robust and ambitious post-2020 framework. Lao People’s Democratic Republic, for Asia-Pacific, emphasized the importance of benefit-sharing from the utilization of genetic resources, and stressed the need to scale up action on pollution and marine debris. She further underscored the need for capacity building, technology transfer, and resource mobilization to implement the post-2020 framework.Noting that the science “shows that the threat is serious,” Iceland, also for Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, and Switzerland, regretted that the document on biodiversity and climate change retains some brackets, but concluded that the recommendation under this item signifies “significant progress.” Belarus, for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), appreciated participants’ “active” presence in the process, and noted the importance in concluding the first cycle of EBSAs. Bahamas, for GRULAC, expressed their concern with the progress in the negotiations, and hoped for a more “planned and structured dialogue” on the “most relevant” parts of the framework in the future. Noting that biodiversity and its loss must be recognized as a global priority, she recalled the importance of synergizing work on biodiversity and climate change. Cameroon, for the African Group, emphasized the deliberations on technical and scientific cooperation in support of the post-2020 framework, and highlighted advice to the Co-Chairs of the OEWG on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework on direct and indirect drivers and on the need to give equal attention to all three objectives of the Convention.SBSTTA 23 Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz (Mexico) thanked delegates and participants for a successful meeting. Convinced that “2020 is going to be a super year,” he gaveled the meeting to a close at 10:28 pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from WG8J 11 and SBSTTA 23. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from the meetings in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page View of the dais during the morning session SBSTTA 23 Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz CBD Deputy Executive Secretary David Cooper Delegates from South Korea and Japan conferring Elizabeth Mrema, Officer-in-Charge, CBD Secretariat Marci Gompers-Small, Suriname Larbi Sbaï, Morocco Marcal Gusmao, Timor-Leste Alexander Shestakov, CBD Secretariat, and SBSTTA 23 Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz Joaqin Salzberg, Argentina Vin Fleming, UK Erie Tamale, CBD Secretariat Andrea Cruz-Angón, Mexico Simon Nemtzov, Israel Martha Mphatso Kalemba, Malawi, with Wadzanayi Goredema-Mandivenyi, South Africa Wadzanayi Goredema-Mandivenyi, South Africa Scott Wilson, Canada Senka Barudanovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina Naeem Ashraf Raja, Pakistan Ricarda Steinbrecher, Federation of German Scientists Group photo of the Korean delegation From L-R: Bernard Soubry, Kaspar Sollberger, and Mika Schroder, IISD Reporting Services Jaime Grubb, Australia, with Rosemary Paterson, New Zealand Delegates from Brazil and South Africa conferring Reinhard Schnidrig, Switzerland Neville Ash, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Mitzi Gurgel Valente da Costa, Brazil The Indonesian delegation Hendrik Segers, Belgium Tommaso Demozzi and Eirini Sakellari, University of Wagenigen The Australian delegation with members of the CBD Secretariat and indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) Ilham Atho Mohamed, Maldives Joséphine Thérèse Eloundou, Cameroon, receiving the SBSTTA Poster Award from Ilham Atho Mohamed, Maldives Andrea Cruz-Angón, Mexico Around the Venue

Highlights for Wednesday, 27 November 2019 Ilham Atho Mohamed, Maldives, chairing the morning session Delegates to the 23rd meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical, and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 23) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) met in plenary throughout the day to address sustainable wildlife management, technical and scientific cooperation, ecologically or biologically significant marine areas in the North-East Atlantic, and new and emerging issues. On sustainable wildlife management, Kristina Rodina, FAO, Secretary of the Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management (CPW), urged parties to address the root causes of over-exploitation of wildlife and to recognize the contribution of sustainable wildlife management to sustainable livelihoods and local economic prosperity. Carolina Behe-Harris, Inuit Circumpolar Council, pleaded for the rights, values, practices, and traditions of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) to be accurately reflected in the post-2020 process. Parties noted the importance of the sustainable use of biodiversity in wildlife management; the need to tackle illegal wildlife trade; national efforts to promote sustainable wildlife management; and the need for multidisciplinary collaboration among relevant fora. Many parties also highlighted the importance of scientific and technical cooperation for the implementation of the post-2020 framework. They also requested additional information on the budgetary and operational consequences of a range of options regarding relevant institutional mechanisms and modalities. A number of African countries underscored the need to meaningfully address digital sequence information and potential benefit-sharing arising from its use in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. An engaged discussion took place under the agenda item on new and emerging issues. While the long-standing discussion on whether synthetic biology fulfils the criteria for new and emerging issues attracted some attention, delegates also exchanged ideas on a suggestion regarding “open environmental transformation technologies," the open-air use of nucleic acids and proteins to alter traits, genes, or other kinds of genetic material. In the evening, delegates met in a contact group, co-chaired by Anne Teller (EU) and Jorge Murillo (Colombia), to discuss elements for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. They considered possible target themes and elements, including biodiversity and conservation outcomes, direct drivers, and the use and value of nature.For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from WG8J 11 and SBSTTA 23. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from the meetings in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Carolina Behe-Harris, Inuit Circumpolar Council Kristina Rodina, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Adams Toussaint, St Lucia Caridad Canales, CBD Secretariat Naeem Ashraf Raja, Pakistan From L-R: Alexander Shestakov, CBD Secretariat; Ilham Atho Mohamed, Maldives; and Sarat Babu Gidda, CBD Secretariat Reinhard Schnidrig, Switzerland Larbi Sbaï, Morocco Angel Onofa, Ecuador Mosimanegape Nthaka, Botswana John Clorley, UK Bun Heng Sok, Cambodia Faisal Shuraim, Saudi Arabia Delegates from Like-Minded Mega Diverse countries, conferring during the lunch break. Adem Bilgin, Turkey, and Jerry Harrison, UN Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) SBSTTA 23 Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz, and Katia Karousakis, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) El Khitma El Awad Mohammed, Sudan Geneviève Lalumière, International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC) Simon Nemtzov, Israel Ruth Spencer, Barnes Hill Community Development Organization Jessica Carvajal, Colombia Gono Semiadi, Indonesia Genene Tefera Belihu, Ethiopia Shirin Karryeva, Turkmenistan Room view during the contact group Around the Venue