NGOs

Highlights for Wednesday, 4 September 2019 Delegates attending the 14th Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) continued their consideration of key Convention themes, meeting in parallel sessions of the Convention’s two subsidiary bodies: the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC); and the Committee on Science and Technology (CST).Key themes of the day included: the development of harmonized indicators to support countries in monitoring drought and enhancing their preparedness; funding for implementation of the Convention and the land degradation neutrality (LDN) target; and the development of targeted capacity-building programmes for countries. Many delegates expressed appreciation for the work of the CST and the Science-Policy Interface in strengthening the role of science, especially through their “pragmatic” guidance on how countries can develop cost-effective drought monitoring programmes that build on existing initiatives at national, regional and global level.The role of the Global Mechanism as the operational arm of the UNCCD came under scrutiny during the CRIC morning session, with some delegations reiterating the perennial call for it not to overreach and stick to its resource mobilization mandate. In the corridors, some observers pointed to the tricky balancing act that the Secretariat has to play between being proactive and effective, while also remaining responsive to the priorities of parties.On the margins of the Conference, more than 15 side events took place exploring, among other topics: natural capital accounting in support of LDN; contribution of global non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to the LDN 2030 target; “pathways for big money to reach local communities”; the land degradation, climate change and migration nexus in the Sahel region; and sustainable land management practices by Indian businesses.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, is providing daily web coverage and daily reports from UNCCD COP 14. In addition, IISD Reporting Services will publish a summary and analyrs report from this session on Monday, 16 September 2019. Photos by IISD/ENB | Ángeles Estrada For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page CRIC Juan Carlos Mendoza, Managing Director, Global Mechanism; Rajeb Boulharouf, and Anja Thust, UNCCD Secretariat Chizuru Aoki, The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Melchiade Bukuru, UNCCD Secretariat Fleury Pabandji, Central African Republic Putera Parthama, Indonesia Participants during the CRIC Martin Kebs and Christina Blank, Switzerland Bala Gukut and Yasuk Aliyu Addy, Nigeria Dominga Polanco, Dominican Republic Heimata Louisa Karika, Cook Islands Imad Almaree, Syria Ahmed Abdelati Ahmed, Egypt CST Mark Svoboda, Science-Policy Interface Barron Orr, UNCCD Lead Scientist Mohamed Qarro, Morocco Taer Rabi, Palestine Nining Wahyuningrum, Indonesia Ajith Silva, Sri Lanka Ahmed Yahu Saleh, Yemen José Camacho, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Participant during the CST session Jose Felix Pinto-Bazurco, Beate Antonich and Suzi Malan, Earth Negotiations Bulletin Around the Venue COP 14 Security and Jose Felix Pinto-Bazurco, Earth Negotiations Bulletin Wangu Mwangi, Earth Negotiations Bulletin with Jane Marquard, UNCCD Secretariat

Highlights for Wednesday, 28 August 2019 CITES CoP 18 Chair Thomas Jemmi, Switzerland, gavels CITES CoP18 to a close. CITES CoP18 delegates reconvened in plenary on Wednesday 28 August 2019 to adopt remaining proposals, including the listing of Mako sharks, wedgefishes, guitarfishes and sea cucumbers (teatfish) on Appendix II, all of which were formally adopted without reopening of debate.In their closing remarks, several observers praised the CoP for its “collegial spirit” and for adopting decisions that will strengthen global wildlife conservation, while others expressed concern that diverging views on conservation and sustainable use had been inadequately reconciled, highlighting the deepening divisions within the African region.Many parties commended CoP18 for its work, and looked forward to playing their respective roles in implementing the new listings. Japan, Tanzania, and several NGOs stressed that listings should be science-based. Tanzania, on behalf of Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, argued that the Convention is not aligned with other international agreements and is working in contradiction to principles of national sovereignty, inclusive and equitable development, and the rights of local communities living with wildlife to use those resources.Japan noted that appropriate trade in wildlife can contribute to conservation, and urged parties to undertake wildlife conservation and community development in an integrated way to support custodians in range states. He called for CITES to take a holistic approach and cooperate with other biodiversity conventions.China expressed its support for the Convention and its increased prioritization of conservation objectives, noting that his country is “on the road towards eco-civilization.” The EU and US also expressed full support, and the US recalled that CITES was created to ensure that trade does not negatively impact the survival of wild species. Mauritania called for “better listings, not more listings.”Secretary-General Higuero closed by highlighting accomplishments from CoP18, noting that “this 45-year-old Convention is now on a stronger path” with the collaborative work on the CITES Strategic Vision, to ensure CITES is a leader in transformative change into the future and that it aligns with the 2030 Agenda on sustainable development. She noted the collaborative discussion from over 100 parties about how CITES might better engage indigenous peoples and local communities, and ensure they benefit from trade and conservation, as CITES will struggle to succeed without them. She drew attention to CITES’ increased capacity to fight illegal trade in wildlife, especially as a lot of this trade moves online, noting, as highlights, the strengthened enforcement through International Consortium for Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), and the newly created Big Cats task force.Higuero said that Appendix II listings show that parties increasingly rely on the Convention as “a vital safety net”, most notably for marine and timber species. She reminded the CoP that reptiles, birds, and smaller animals are vital for the survival of life on earth and need just as much attention from the Convention as megafauna.In closing, Higuero noted that CITES provides a space for common goals towards sustainable development and the longtime survival of the world’s endangered species.Chair Jemmi hailed the achievements of parties, noting that in most cases the decisions were agreed by consensus. He thanked all participants for their passion and commitment and closed the Conference at 11:30 am.Please return to this site on Saturday, 31 August for the ENB summary and analysis report. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from CITES CoP18. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Closing Plenary Delegates gather for the closing plenary. CITES CoP18 Chair Thomas Jemmi, Switzerland CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero Jose Manuel Mateo Feliz, Dominican Republic Committee I Chair Rod Hay, New Zealand Augustin Ngumbi Amuri, Democratic Republic of the Congo Rosemarie Gnam, US Shara Duncan-Villalobos, Costa Rica, announces that CoP19 will be held in Costa Rica in 2022. Delegates applaud the work done at CoP18. Closing Statements Will Travers, Survival Species Network (SSN) Susan Lieberman, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Koikai Oloitiptip, Amboseli Ecosystem Trust Margaret Kinnaird, WWF Heather Noonan, League of American Orchestras Josef Schmuck, Document Center for Species Protection M.G.C. Sooriyabandara, Sri Lanka Jessica Maria Gálvez-Durand Besnard, Peru Zhimin Wu, China Elisante Ombeni Leguma, Tanzania, speaking on behalf of SADC Joshua Wycliffe, Fiji Abba Sonko, Senegal Ali Mansoor Abbas Abdullah, Bahrain Germán Proffen and Vanesa Tossenberger, Argentina CITES CoP 18 Chair Thomas Jemmi, Switzerland, gavels the meeting to a close. Around the Venue Family photo of the CITES Secretariat. Delegates from the Netherlands. Delegates from Nepal. Delegates from the Humane Society International. CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero Melanie Virtue, Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), and Ralf Sonntag, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Family photo of the UN Rapporteurs. The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) team covering CITES CoP18: Mandy Rude, US; Tanya Rosen, Kyrgyzstan; Delia Paul, Australia/Malaysia; Brianna Botchwey, Canada/Ghana; and Kiara Worth, South Africa.

Highlights for Monday, 26 August 2019 Members of the Secretariat consult on the dais during the consultations in Committee II. The Committees spent their final day in committee finalizing agenda items and working group reports, as the CoP will convene in plenary once more on Tuesday.Committee II engaged in a substantial discussion concerning the CITES Secretariat report on Asian big cats. The Secretariat summarized that progress was made on the review of facilities of concern with Asian big cats in captivity, but that missions still need to be sent to scrutinize some of these operations. She added that the document covers the need to address organized crime networks, and noted the big cats task force, proposed at CoP18, will help to support parties to address some of these issues in trade in Asian big cat parts and derivatives.India presented the draft decisions and combined amendments made by his delegation, reminding parties that the success of tiger conservation efforts is dependent on global enforcement. Bhutan, supported by Bolivia, stated that captive tiger facilities must be closed and supported India’s proposed amended document. Niger, along with Ethiopia, noted that this trade is fueling demand for African lion parts, suggesting that CITES should prioritize reducing demand for big cats as a whole.The WWF, on behalf of multiple NGOs, noted some progress on tiger conservation from strengthened legislation and enforcement efforts but that commercial tiger farming operations threaten conservation progress as they stimulate demand, in part because consumers prefer parts from wild tigers and other big cat species. Committee II agreed to the draft decisions as amended.Costa Rica, with co-sponsors Peru and Mexico, introduced a document on jaguars, noting increased international demand for teeth, skin and bones through illegal trade, and urging the Committee to adopt three related decisions to map the illegal trade in jaguar. Peru, the US, Bolivia, Brazil, Suriname, and Colombia, on behalf of several Latin American and Caribbean states, supported the draft decisions. China, supported by Creative Conservation Solutions, proposed expanding the study to also assess threats such as competing land-use activities, human-jaguar conflicts, and local traditional use. The Committee agreed to the proposal.Other issues addressed in Committee II included the illegal trade in totoaba swim bladders and the impact on vaquita, enforcement measures to crack down on trade in rhino horn, and a move to examine the taxonomy and nomenclature of pangolins.In Committee I, delegates considered a long list of proposals, including a range of “charismatic” and “spectacular” reptiles and amphibians including lizards, iguana and the spider-tailed horned viper, many of which were endorsed to receive Appendix I or II protections. The EU, with India, the Philippines, and the US as co-proponents, introduced a proposal to include the Tokay gecko in Appendix II, highlighting the high levels of international trade and reports of local extinctions caused by overcollection. Several range states, including China, Vietnam and Thailand, opposed the proposal, arguing that the species does not meet the criteria for an Appendix II listing, given that it is common in many Asian range states and that captive breeding has been successful in meeting demand for the species. Committee I voted to adopt the proposal, with 103 in favor and 17 against.Both committees ended the day with a sense of occasion. In Committee 1, delegates joined Chair Hay in a Maori song to close the event, while in Committee II, delegates burst into applause as Chair Hoover noted that drafts on rhinos and elephants had been produced without the need to set up additional working groups. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from CITES CoP18. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Committee I: Species-Specific Matters Chair Rod Hay, New Zealand Tricia Lovell, Antigua and Barbuda Armida Andres, the Philippines Javad Amin-Mansour, Iran Cornelius Richards, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Andrew Adejo, Nigeria José Alberto Alvarez Lemus, Cuba Alwin Dornelly, Saint Lucia Nero Cunha Ferreira, Brazil Delegates vote to protect the Tokay gecko by uplisting it to Appendix II. María Elena Sánchez Saldaña, Species Survival Network (SSN) Dominic Whitmee, European Pet Organisation José Julián Suazo Cervantes, Honduras Ken Farr, Canada In a moving address to Committee I, Chair Rod Hay, New Zealand, thanks delegates for their work in addressing all 56 proposals presented to CITES, and invites them to join him in a traditional Maori song, supported by his friends and colleagues from the Oceania region. Chair Rod Hay, New Zealand (center), thanks Karen Gaynor and Tom De Meulenaer, CITES Secretariat, for their assistance and friendship throughout the meeting. Committee II: Interpretation and Implementation Matters Delegates gather for the discussions on interpretation and implementation matters. Anup Kumar Nayak, India Mohammed Shafiul Alam Chowdhury, Bangladesh Catherine Pruett, Sea Shepherd Legal Vuong Tien Manh, Viet Nam Robby Achirul, Indonesia Juan Enrique Iglesias García, Ecuador Martin Rose, Austria Shirley Ramirez, Costa Rica Bernardo Martinez, Chile Carly Cowell, United Kingdom Joaquín de la Torre Ponce, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Susanne Breitkopf, Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) Around the Venue Delegates speak informally before the sessions begin. Delegates from Sri Lanka Delegates from Peru Delegates from India consult with the Secretariat. Delegates discuss a document.

Highlights for Friday, 26 July 2019 Family photo of delegates at the end of the 2nd Part of ISA-25 On Friday, the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) finalized considerations of its agenda for its 25th session, adopting a set of guidelines for observer status of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with the Authority. Many delegates hailed the adoption, stressing that the adopted guidelines are “modern and fit-for-purpose.” Others stressed that the process is evolutionary in nature and has to remain flexible to take into account future considerations, including a request for a legal opinion on whether there is a conflict of interest in the event that an application for observer status is formulated by a person accredited in a sitting delegation. The Assembly further addressed cooperation with other organizations; decided on the dates of its next session; addressed other matters, including changes in the staff regulations; and heard brief closing statements. Highlights of the day include the: adoption of the guidelines for observer status of NGOs with the ISA; and signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Authority and the Ministry of Natural Resources of China on the establishment of a joint training and research center. Many delegates expressed their satisfaction with the meeting’s results and emphasized the crucial role and achievements of the Authority. They also lauded the cordial atmosphere under which the negotiations took place. President Johnson Smith gaveled the meeting to a close at 12:05 pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from the 2nd Part of ISA-25. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, has published a summary and analysis from the meeting, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Kamina Johnson Smith, Assembly President, gaveled the meeting to a close at 12:05pm Malgorzata Wasilewska, European Union (EU) Barbara Haley, Guyana Pauline Mcharo and John Waita, Kenya Stella Anukam, Nigeria Teue Baikarawa, Kiribati The dais during Friday’s proceedings Godfrey Rolle, the Bahamas Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, Deputy to the Secretary-General and ISA Legal Counsel Faatasi Malologa, Tuvalu Aletta Mondré, Kiel University, on behalf of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Rebecca Newsum, Greenpeace International Philomène Verlaan, International Marine Minerals Society (IMMS) Marcia Gilbert-Roberts, Jamaica, and Marzia Rovere, Italy Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil María Teresa Infante, Chile, and Secretary-General Michael Lodge Kamina Johnson Smith, Assembly President, and Guy Sevrin, Belgium Around the Venue Tian Qi, China, and ISA Secretary-General Michael Lodge Delegates from Kiribati and Kenya Delegates from China and Kamina Johnson Smith, Assembly President Delegates taking a selfie at the end of the meeting Marzia Rovere, Italy, reviewing the IISD Reporting Services website L-R: Jason Dixon, Geraldine Geddes, Lestine Rose, and Lorenzo Lynch, Conference Services ISA souvenirs outside the plenary room The ENB team at the 2nd Part of ISA-25 (L-R) Tasha Goldberg, US; Asterios Tsioumanis, Greece; Nancy Williams, US; Tallash Kantai, Kenya/Uganda; Wang Yan, China; and Diego Noguera, Colombia

Highlights for Monday, 22 July 2019 Kamina Johnson Smith (center), Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica, is elected as the new Assembly President On Monday, the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) started its deliberations of the 25th annual session in Kingston, Jamaica. Throughout the day, the Assembly addressed organizational matters; elected its President, Vice Presidents, and a member for the Finance Committee filling a relevant vacancy; considered requests for observer status from four entities; discussed the development of guidelines for observer status requests; heard the report of the ISA25 Council President; and introduced the discussion on the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2019-2023. A side event, organized by the Authority and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), discussed the progress report on the implementation of the Abyssal Initiative Project.Highlights of the day include the: election of Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica, as Assembly President for the 25th Session; an introduction to the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2019-2023, including a high-level action plan and performance indicators; and a lengthy discussion in plenary and in informal discussions on draft guidelines for granting observer status to NGOs to ISA, with many delegates finding the original version of the guidelines overly restrictive. The discussion on the draft guidelines on observer status revealed interesting opinions among the delegates, including on the differences between the Authority and organizations like the International Maritime Organization (IMO). These delegates noted that the Authority has “a higher moral role” compared to an organization solely regulating an industrial sector, like the IMO, listing all its social and economic considerations. Concerns were also tabled regarding provisions in the draft guidelines addressing the periodic review of the list of NGOs, potential conflicts of interest, exclusion of the common heritage regime as well as provisions that require organizations to, inter alia: “reasonably demonstrate” their interest; prove that their purposes are directly related to those of the ISA; demonstrate their expertise and capacity to contribute to the Authority’s work as well as support ISA’s activities; and have objectives and function “in consonance” with those of the Authority. For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the breezeways, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from the 2nd Part of ISA-25. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, has published a summary and analysis from the meeting, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page L-R: Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; Mariusz Orion Jędrysek, outgoing Assembly President; Cai Yongsheng and Talatu Akindolire, ISA Secretariat, during a moment of silence. Mariusz Orion Jędrysek, outgoing Assembly President Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil Kamina Johnson Smith, Assembly President Pavel Kavina, Czech Republic Guy Sevrin, Belgium Marzia Rovere, Italy Gina Guillén Grillo, Costa Rica Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga, and Franck Kokou Kpayedo, Togo Li Linlin, China Tom Diederen, the Netherlands Urs Daniel Engels and Bernd von Münchow-Pohl, Germany Lowri Mai Griffiths, UK Diva Amon, Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI) Lenin Naranjo, Ecuador (center) Hau Do Suan, Myanmar Sandor Mulsow, Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary (TBA21) M. Burhanudin Borut, Indonesia Lumka Yengeni, Council President for the 25th Session Franck Kokou Kpayedo, Laré Penn, and John Fintakpa Lamega, Togo Michelle Walker, Jamaica, with Marcello Iocca and Marzia Rovere, Italy Delegates from Nigeria in discussion during a break in the session Observers during the afternoon session ISA Secretary-General Michael Lodge (second left) with participants holding up signs related to SDG 14, which concerns the ocean. The delegation from the Russian Federation The delegation from Ecuador with Kamina Johnson Smith, Assembly President (center) The delegation from the Republic of Korea Members of the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC) with Kamina Johnson Smith, Assembly President (center) The delegation from Saudi Arabia A Greenpeace ship visits Kingston