Latin American and Caribbean Group

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

The interactive session on consideration of best practices in the implementation of the Convention continued on Thursday morning, the third and final day of CRIC 15, with delegates providing input on the Secretariat report on accessibility of information on best practices through the Scientific Knowledge Brokering Portal and the Capacity Building Marketplace. Delegates then met in a contact group throughout the remainder of the day to review the draft report of the session, including the conclusions and recommendations. In the evening the Committee reconvened in plenary for adoption of the report. Following closing statements by spokespersons for each regional group, other delegates and the UNCCD Executive Secretary, Monique Barbut, Chair Raymond Baptiste declared the meeting closed at 7:23 pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web updates from UNCCD CRIC 15. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from the meeting which is available in HTML and PDF. Richard Mwendandu, Kenya, on behalf of the African countries and Chair of Regional Implementation Annex I Co-Chairs of the contact group Jones Muleso Kharika (South Africa) and Ludo Rochette (Belgium) Karma Dorji, Bhutan, on behalf of the Asian countries and Chair of Regional Implementation Annex II Haendel Sebastian Rodriguez, Colombia, on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC) and Chair of Regional Implementation Annex III Closing plenary of the CRIC