Organization Economic Cooperation and Development

The Fifth Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) opened in Cancún, Mexico, on Wednesday, 24 May 2017. This followed two preparatory days, during which delegates met in regional meetings and networking sessions. Meeting for the first time since the approval of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 in Japan in 2015, delegates convened for a brief plenary session in the morning. They then broke out into special sessions and working sessions, which met in parallel throughout the morning. Two special sessions considered the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information, and enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “build back better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction. During the four working sessions in the morning, delegates considered: critical infrastructure, international cooperation, risk insurance, and the Sendai Framework Monitor Prototype. In the afternoon, delegates attended an opening ceremony, attended by Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto, who called for enhanced prevention and preparedness measures to address disaster risk. Also in attendance was Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, who underscored that DRR and climate change resilience are integral to the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. High-level delegates then convened in a closed-door Leaders Forum. Others convened in two parallel working sessions to consider risk information and disaster loss databases, and private sector engagement in DRR. Side events were also held over the lunch break and in the late afternoon. In the evening, participants attended a reception hosted by the Government of Mexico. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily reports in English and Spanish, daily web coverage, and daily Earth Negotiations Videos (ENV) from the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. In addition, IISD Reporting Services published a summary report of the meeting 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 . Welcome Plenary Session Remberto Estrada Barba, Mayor of the Municipality of Benito Juarez, Quintana Roo, Mexico Luis Felipe Puente, Coordinador General, Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil (SINAPROC), Mexico Robert Glasser, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for DRR and Head of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) Remberto Estrada Barba, Mayor of the Municipality of Benito Juarez, Quintana Roo, Mexico and Robert Glasser, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for DRR and Head of UNISDR, at the end of the session Special Session - Build Back Better & Preparedness (L-R) Johannes Luchner, Director, Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operation (ECHO), European Commission (EC); Inonge Wina, Vice President of the Zambia; Session Co-Chair Aris Papadopoulos, Adviser, Titan America; Session Chair Lourdes Tibán, Member of Parliament, Ecuador; Session Chair Shigeki Habuka, Vice Minister, Cabinet Office, Japan; Khaled Abo Aisheh, Director, Programming of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA); and Marcie Roth, Office of Disability Integration and Coordination, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA/DHS), US Inonge Wina, Vice President of the Zambia Session Co-Chair Aris Papadopoulos, CEO, Titan America Marcie Roth, Director, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA/DHS), US Session Co-Chair Shigeki Habuka, Japan Session Co-Chair Lourdes Tibán, Ecuador Working Session - Critical Infrastructure (L-R) Rubem Hofliger, Swiss Re; Michele Young, Asia Regional Shelter and Construction Advisor, Save the Children; P.K. Mishra, Prime Minister’s Office; Session Chair Wais Ahmad Barmak, Minister of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs, Afghanistan; Hirotada Matsuki, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan; Hans Sy, President SM Prime; and Inés Gutiérrez, Peru Rubenm Hofliger, Director-General, Natural Disasters Fund, Mexico, and Michele Young, Asia Regional Shelter and Construction Advisor, Save the Children Hans Sy, Executive Director, President SM Prime, and Inés Gutiérrez, Peru Rubenm Hofliger, Director-General, Natural Disasters Fund, Mexico, and Michele Young, Asia Regional Shelter and Construction Advisor at Save the Children Translation for deaf participants Working Session - Sendai Framework Monitor Consultation (L-R) Andria Grosvenor, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA); Kamal Kishore, National Disaster Management Authority, India; Marc Gordon, UNISDR; Session Co-Chair Yannick Glemarec, Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Programme, UN Women; Session Co-Chair Mercedita Sombilla, National Economic and Development Authority, the Philippines; and Martin Owor, Commissioner for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Management in the Office of the Prime Minister, Uganda Special Session - Early Warning & Risk Information (L-R) Elliot Jacks, US National Weather Service; Molly Nielson, Principal Disaster Management Officer, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Samoa; Session Chair Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, Coordinator of the FemLINKPACIFIC, Fiji; Session Chair David Edgar Tonoyan, Minister of Emergency Situations, Armenia; Session Chair Gautier Mignot, Director, Sustainable Development, Ministry of Interior, France; Petteri Talaas, Secretary-General, WMO; and Tatsuo Hirano, Member of Parliament, Japan Working Session - International Cooperation (L-R) Heidi Schroderus-Fox, Director, UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS); Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Director-General of Global Issues, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany; Session Chair David Douglas Des Van Rooyen, Minister, Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, South Africa; Laura Tuck, Vice President of Sustainable Development, World Bank; Sandra Wu, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Kokusai Kogyo Co. Ltd; and Rolf Alter, Director of Public Governance, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Working Session - Risk Insurance (L-R) Sophia Belay, Oxfam America; Shaun Tarbuck, CEO, International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation; Phil Evans, COO, Met Office; Session Co-Chair Riikka Laatu, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland; Session Co-Chair Simon Young, African Risk Capacity Insurance Company Limited; Liliana Cardozo de Cano, Tarjy; and Robert Muir-Wood, Risk Management Solutions Opening Ceremony Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico, and Amina Mohamed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, before the opening ceremony Mayan cultural performance at the opening ceremony of the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction The dais during the opening ceremony Carlos Joaquin Gonzales, Governor, Quintana Roo, Mexico Robert Glasser, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for DRR and Head of UNISDR Participants watched a video about the history of the DRR process Amina Mohamed, UN Deputy Secretary-General Luis Videgaray Caso, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mexico Participants watched a video on DRR activities in Mexico Amina Mohamed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, and Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico Participants during the opening ceremony The media at the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction Working Session - Private Sector Engagement (L-R) Session Co-Chair Chloe Demrovsky, Executive Director, DRI; Daniel Stander, Risk Management Solutions; Mark Crosweller, Director General, Emergency Management, Australia; Dale Sands, CH2M; and Jesús González Arellano, KPMG, Mexico Working Session - Risk Information & Loss Databases (L-R) Anoja Seneviratne, Director of Mitigation Research and Development, Sri Lanka; Bapon Fakhruddin, Senior Specialist in DRR and Climate Resilience, Bangladesh; Session Co-Chair Fatih Özer, Department Head, Disaster & Emergency Management Authority of Turkey; Session Co-Chair Ricardo Peña-Herrero, Undersecretary of Risk Analysis, Ecuador; and Jutta May, Information and Knowledge Management Specialist, Noumea, New Caledonia Around the Venue Red Cross youth members dance at a parallel event on resilience Delegates gather for the first day of the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction

The following side events were covered by ENBOTS on Tuesday, 16 May 2017: Open Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on the Operationalization of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform Achieving the Paris Agreement through Climate Action in the Land Sector? Strengthening Leadership on Low-Carbon Transport to Deliver Long-Term Climate Goals Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency: Initial Results and Future Expectations IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the Side (ENBOTS) Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage of selected side events at the Bonn Climate Change Conference, May 2017. Photos by IISD/ENB | Angeles Estrada Vigil For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Open Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on the Operationalization of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples PlatformPresented by the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) This open multi-stakeholder dialogue convened as part of the process to develop the local communities and indigenous peoples platform (LCIP platform), established by Decision 1/CP.21 (Adoption of the Paris Agreement). Carlos Fuller, Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), and Grace Balawag, International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), co-chaired the discussion. During the opening session, Fuller said the establishment of the LCIP platform during COP 21 confirmed that parties recognize the need to strengthen knowledge, technologies, practices and efforts of LCIPs to address and respond to climate change. He applauded the opportunity provided during the dialogue to exchange experiences and share best practices on mitigation and adaptation in a holistic and integrated manner, and emphasized that the dialogue will contribute to articulating clear functions and the structure of the new platform. Balawag welcomed the opportunity for knowledge and experience exchange between all stakeholders, and urged a rich conversation that will provide the basis for a “robust new structure” in order to benefit all LCIPs across the globe. In a keynote address, Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC, said LCIPs are the stakeholders who best understand the impacts of climate change, as they are “fighting on the frontlines.” Noting that neither the Paris Agreement nor the LCIP platform can succeed without LCIP stakeholders submitting their views, she urged representatives to ensure their “voices are heard” during the dialogue. During the second session, the panel discussion was moderated by Stephen Leonard, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), during which participants discussed existing experiences with the involvement of LCIPs and with the use of traditional knowledge (TK). Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, IIPFCC, provided examples of indigenous peoples’ participation in UN bodies, including in: the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues; the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and the Working Group on Article 8(j) (TK) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).  Douglas Nakashima, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said that UNESCO envisions a platform that brings together elements of scientific and indigenous peoples’ knowledge to co-produce “best available knowledge.” He shared examples of UNESCO’s approaches for incorporating indigenous knowledge into its procedures. Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, UN Development Programme (UNDP), shared UNDP’s 25 years of experience collaborating with indigenous peoples through the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP). She stressed that 15% of the GEF’s small grants support indigenous peoples. During the third session of the dialogue, the UNFCCC Secretariat presented on submissions received on the purpose, content and structure of the LCIP platform, concentrating on three possible interconnected functions: providing a space for exchange of experiences and sharing of best practices; building capacities of LCIPs to effectively engage in the UNFCCC and other relevant processes, including supporting implementation of the Paris Agreement; and facilitating the integration of diverse knowledge systems, practices and innovations, and the engagement of LCIPs in relevant climate change-related actions, programmes and policies.  LCIP representatives, on behalf of the IIPFCC, inter alia: urged parties to promote and recognize the sustainable practices of indigenous peoples, and encouraged the establishment of “creative links” within the UNFCCC; called for ensuring LCIPs’ full and effective participation; called attention to the need for adequate funding to support LCIPs; emphasized the importance of capacity building to enable indigenous peoples to make a contribution at the international level; stressed that indigenous youth and women require “special measures and targeted attention” to ensure effective transmission of intergenerational knowledge; and called for knowledge exchange in a context-based manner.  Many countries and other entities provided inputs as well. The CBD said that the success of the Working Group on Article 8(j) lies in the nomination of an indigenous co-chair. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said the platform should strengthen the connection of LCIPs with the UNFCCC for a meaningful and informed partnership. UNESCO called for knowledge exchanges between LCIPs and scientists that are more holistic and take into account social and cultural components. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNSRRIP) emphasized the “inextricable link” between respect for the rights of indigenous peoples and their capacities to contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation, as well as disaster preparedness and management. Emphasizing linkages between the platform and the Sustainable Development Goals, she stressed the need to look at traditional resource management systems to deal with knowledge exchange in a holistic and integrated manner. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) stressed the need to build LCIPs’ capacities to participate in climate policies and actions at the national and international levels. Women and Gender said the platform could serve to preserve TK. The EU underscored the importance of building on relevant experiences within the UNFCCC and learning from experiences in other international contexts. New Zealand expressed support for the LCIP platform’s aim to give indigenous peoples an active role in helping shape climate action. Ecuador looked forward to the platform’s operationalization, highlighting LCIPs’ “special relationship” with Mother Earth. Canada called for: indigenous peoples to be self-represented in the platform; enhancing interconnectedness among TK and other knowledge systems; and acknowledging losses already experienced by indigenous peoples.    Antigua and Barbuda highlighted her country’s legislation mandating LCIPs’ representation in domestic and international processes. Emphasizing the importance of TK systems for global action on mitigation and adaptation, Norway noted that “the best results come when indigenous peoples have been included and are taking the lead.” Costa Rica called for a coordination mechanism to share knowledge and information on climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. Australia said information presented during the dialogue should feed into the platform. Bolivia called for: the establishment of a participatory mechanism on indigenous peoples; meaningful intercultural knowledge exchange among indigenous peoples of the world; and horizontal inter-scientific dialogue among indigenous peoples and established scientific systems. Peru said nationally determined approaches to implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) could be shared through the platform. L-R: Grace Balawag, IIPFCC; Carlos Fuller, SBSTA Chair; Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC; Koko Warner, UNFCCC; Laurence Pollier, UNFCCC; and Kapupu Diwa Mutimanwa, Ligue Nationale des Associations Pygmées du Congo (LINAPYCO) Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC, said the “age of implementation” has begun after reaching the Paris Agreement. Grace Balawag, IIPFCC (left), said she hoped this meeting will be remembered for “laying the foundation” of the COP’s new agenda item. Participants during the open multi-stakeholder dialogue Participants attending the open multi-stakeholder dialogue. Panelists Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, IIPFCC, and Douglas Nakashima, UNESCO Kapupu Diwa Mutimanwa, LINAPYCO, opened the dialogue with a prayer on behalf of all LCIPs. Carlos Fuller, SBSTA Chair, emphasized that the dialogue is “a discussion and not a negotiation.” Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, IIPFCC, emphasized that indigenous peoples protect more than 80% of the world’s biodiversity. A representative from Burkina Faso participates in the LCIP platform dialogue. Stephen Leonard, CIFOR, stressed that the importance of indigenous peoples in climate change adaptation and mitigation “cannot be overstated.” Estebancio Castro Diaz, IIPFCC, stressed the need to link the LCIP platform to climate financing programmes. L-R: Stephen Leonard, CIFOR; Douglas Nakashima, UNESCO; and Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, UNDP Victoria Tauli Corpuz, UNSRRIP, underscored that “more work needs to be done” to consider indigenous knowledge in NDCs. Geert Fremout, EU, welcomed the LPIC platform as a “timely operationalization.” Thanking Canada for taking climate action, Francois Paulette, IIPFCC, said that "what is happening to our world is a crisis, and time is not on our side." Ruth Spencer, National Coordinator, GEF SGP, Antigua and Barbuda Anne Barre, Women in Europe for a Common Future Pamela Rocha, Ecuador Contact: Rojina Manandhar | rmanandhar@unfccc.int Koko Warner | kwarner@unfccc.int More Information: http://unfccc.int/meetings/unfccc_calendar/items/10151.php Achieving the Paris Agreement through Climate Action in the Land Sector? Presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Food Programme This side event was the third of three events of the ‘Rome Series’ on ‘the Paris Agreement and the Agricultural Sectors: Feeding the World in a Changing Climate.’ This session focused on the role of agriculture and food security in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in terms of both mitigation and adaptation. It was moderated by Martin Frick, FAO. Highlighting that “a big chunk” of NDCs features agriculture, Lucy Ng'ang'a, Kenya, noted the potential of climate-smart agriculture in enhancing productivity, reducing emissions, improving resilience and providing additional co-benefits. She emphasized the need for technology, capacity building and resources to implement such approaches. Rita Mishaan, Guatemala, underscored that developing countries face challenges in the design, implementation and review of NDCs. She said her country is working on its low-emission development strategy, which will support the design of methodologies to ensure the necessary indicators are reflected in reporting. Walter Oyhantçabal, Uruguay, highlighted that mitigation in agriculture is distinct from other sectors given strong links to food security. Reporting back on a thematic working group meeting held in Rome two weeks previously as part of the NDC Partnership’s work on agriculture, he noted agreement to develop terms of reference for the work of the group in a country-led, participatory manner. Romeo Bertolini, NDC Partnership, highlighted that the Partnership was developed following adoption of the Paris Agreement by developed and developing countries and multilateral institutions in recognition of the need to integrate climate change into development, and fiscal and budgetary processes. He noted the Partnership’s efforts to “connect the dots” between countries to ensure continuous exchange on NDC implementation, including with regard to agriculture. In the ensuing discussion, participants raised, inter alia: the need for developed countries to take the lead in mitigation while developing countries focus on adaptation; humankind’s “dangerous dependence” on a “very narrow genetic base”; concerns that interventions in the land-use sector will lead to increased marginalization of indigenous peoples and local communities; prospects for protecting forests while improving productivity of agricultural systems; and the need to consider agriculture in the 2018 facilitative dialogue. Martin Frick, FAO, highlighted that the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement “all come together in the land sector.” Rita Mishaan, Guatemala, said that UN agencies, in addition to UNFCCC parties, need to work together on climate action. Walter Oyhantçabal, Uruguay, noted the challenge of finding an indicator that reflects progress in adaptation. Romeo Bertolini, NDC Partnership, stressed the need to ensure that “the momentum of Paris” is maintained and climate change work is not detached from other national activities. L-R: Walter Oyhantçabal, Uruguay; Lucy Ng'ang'a, Kenya; Martin Frick, FAO; Rita Mishaan, Guatemala; and Romeo Bertolini, NDC Partnership Contact: Julia Wolf | julia.wolf@fao.org More Information: http://www.fao.org/climate-change/en/ http://www1.wfp.org/climate-action https://www.ifad.org/topic/overview/tags/climate_change Strengthening Leadership on Low-Carbon Transport to Deliver Long-Term Climate GoalsPresented by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) This side event, moderated by Ramón Cruz, ITDP, discussed ways to ensure better integration of the transport sector in the long-term national decarbonization strategies of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).  Cruz presented an ITDP report titled ‘Three Revolutions in Urban Transportation: How to achieve the full potential of vehicle electrification, automation and shared mobility in urban transportation systems around the world by 2050.’ He called for supportive policies to maximize the benefits of the three “revolutions” described in the report. Cornie Huizenga, Secretary General, Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT), outlined an actionable vision of transport decarbonization towards implementation of the Paris Agreement. Stressing the aim of reaching net zero emissions in the sector, he emphasized the need to strengthen leadership on low-carbon transport. Among the milestones required to take the transport sector to 1.5°C, Huizenga identified urban transformation, low-carbon energy supply strategy, model efficiency improvement and shortened supply chains.   Gregor Pawlowski, BlaBlaCar Germany, said his company is the world’s largest carpooling platform with over 40 million members worldwide. He pointed out that, with around 76% of travel in Europe done by car, the average occupancy rate per city-to-city ride is only 1.7. Noting that sharing a ride “always makes sense,” he indicated that the average occupancy rate among BlaBlaCar users is 2.8. Jean-François Gagné, International Energy Agency (IEA), highlighted “avoid, shift, improve” strategies for reducing emissions from transport. He observed that emissions from transport in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries have peaked but could be rapidly reduced and that, with the right policies, transport emissions in non-OECD countries could be brought back to current levels by 2050. Gagné highlighted the IEA’s Electric Vehicle Initiative, noting that setting ambitious targets can drive accelerated progress towards emission reductions.  Among challenges faced by her country’s transport sector, Pacifica Achieng Ogola, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Kenya, highlighted transport access, urban congestion, the growing urban population and the quality of roads. She informed participants that Kenya’s emission reduction target reflected in its NDC includes the transport sector.  Kathrine von Graevenitz, Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), highlighted that pricing carbon is instrumental to fostering low-carbon transport. Among available abatement options, she listed reduction of carbon content in fuel, fuel economy in cars and other vehicles, and changing driving behaviors and transport demand, all of which can be addressed though pricing carbon. Highlighting the role of voluntary approaches, she pointed out that “incentives matter,” and their effects can be long lasting.    Marcel Beukeboom, Climate Envoy, the Netherlands, cautioned against looking at sectors in isolation and highlighted the importance of bringing stakeholders to the table. He noted: the Netherlands’ goal of all new cars being electric by 2035; that all Dutch trains have run on wind energy since 2016; and the significance of replicating his country’s experience with bicycles.  In the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: second-hand electric vehicle use in Africa; fuel economy standards for second-hand cars; the role of policies in improving cost effectiveness of electric vehicles; obstacles to electrification of the car fleet; and the role of multi-stakeholder cooperation and public-private partnerships in transport sector decarbonization. L-R: Ramón Cruz, ITDP; Gregor Pawlowski, BlaBlaCar Germany; Marcel Beukeboom, Climate Envoy, the Netherlands; Kathrine von Graevenitz, ZEW; Cornie Huizenga, Secretary General, SLoCaT; and Jean-François Gagné, IEA Ramón Cruz, ITDP, noted that, compared to business as usual, the scenario involving automation, electrification and sharing produces “impressive global results.” L-R: Ramón Cruz, ITDP; Gregor Pawlowski, BlaBlaCar Germany; Marcel Beukeboom, Climate Envoy, the Netherlands; Kathrine von Graevenitz, ZEW; Cornie Huizenga, Secretary General, SLoCaT; and Jean-François Gagné, IEA Cornie Huizenga, Secretary General, SLoCaT, said the “time is right for a Transport Decarbonization Alliance.” Gregor Pawlowski, BlaBlaCar Germany, said that 12 million people travel using BlaBlaCar each quarter. Jean-François Gagné, IEA, indicated that electric vehicles could play a much larger role, and setting ambitious targets can drive accelerated progress. Marcel Beukeboom, Climate Envoy, the Netherlands, highlighted cooperation between the public and private sectors and civil society in the Netherlands. Ramón Cruz, ITDP, noted that, compared to business as usual, the scenario involving automation, electrification and sharing produces “impressive global results.” Pacifica Achieng Ogola, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Kenya, said that her country’s NDC includes climate proofing roads, enhancing transport systems and building roads’ resilience. Contact: Ramón Cruz (Moderator) | ramon.cruz@itdp.org  Kathrine von Graevenitz | vongraevenitz@zew.de More Information: https://www.itdp.org/ http://www.zew.de/en/ Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency: Initial Results and Future Expectations Presented by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Environment This side event focused on analyzing initial results of, and expectations for, the Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) Global Coordination Platform, an initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and jointly implemented by UNDP and UN Environment. Damiano Borgogno, UNDP, moderated the event. Suzanne Lekoyiet, UN Environment, said that UN Environment has supported countries in meeting their reporting requirements under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). She said that the CBIT will support developing countries by: improving transparency over time; assembling teams of experts to meet enhanced monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) requirements under the Paris Agreement; providing tools, templates, technical assistance and training; and providing a platform for networking and sharing information and knowledge. She noted that UN Environment has supported the preparation of three CBIT concept notes to date. Toby Hedger, UNFCCC Secretariat, said Article 13 of the Paris Agreement (transparency) includes three key elements: reporting; technical expert review; and multilateral facilitative consideration. She noted that while modalities, procedures and guidelines for these elements are still being negotiated, many preparations can already occur. She highlighted the need to build capacity for institutional arrangements, tools and methodologies, and data and information. Dustin Schinn, GEF, said that, while the Paris Agreement “marked a turning point in the common fight against climate change,” action on the ground lags behind. Outlining CBIT access possibilities, he underscored that, in addition to providing national-level support, the CBIT provides regional and global support. He highlighted the CBIT’s Global Coordination Platform that supports knowledge exchange, peer-to-peer learning and exchange of practitioners. Shinn noted that US$38 million is currently available in the CBIT trust fund for new projects, with additional payments and pledges expected soon. Noting that only 36 Biennial Update Reports (BURs) were submitted during the first BUR cycle, and only five in the second, Damiano Borgogno, UNDP, highlighted the need to draw lessons from experiences with BURs and National Communications for integration into the Paris Agreement’s transparency framework. Mariana Kasprzyk, Uruguay, highlighted her country’s CBIT project, approved in March 2017, which consists of two components: strengthening national institutions for transparency; and providing tools, training and technical assistance for meeting the obligations under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement. Andrea Meza, Costa Rica, reflected on Costa Rica’s challenges in implementing climate policy and the “added value” of the CBIT. Highlighting her country’s national transparency framework, she reported that the CBIT has helped generate a “more integrated and sophisticated system” by supporting data-driven decision making and facilitating efficient institutional arrangements.  Miriam Hinostroza, UNEP DTU Partnership, introduced the CBIT Global Coordination Platform, noting “very high ambition” to create a space where countries can share information, experiences and lessons learned on transparency and MRV. Among elements the Platform could include, she highlighted: spaces to share initiatives and for donors to upload information on support being provided; a virtual library and helpdesk; and a virtual meeting place.  Kirsten Orschulok, Germany, stressed that countries need “data, facts and figures” to decide which policies and adaptation and mitigation plans are appropriate, and to adapt these policies over time. Suggesting possibilities for “South-South-North” exchange, she stressed that her country can learn how to improve its reporting and transparency systems from developing country partners.  During the ensuing discussion, participants raised, inter alia: the mission of the CBIT regarding engagement of non-governmental actors in implementation of the transparency framework; challenges of countries that applied to the CBIT; the GEF Gender Equality Action Plan and mandated stakeholder engagement; and the role of South-South cooperation in knowledge-sharing platforms. L-R: Damiano Borgogno, UNDP; Dustin Schinn, GEF; and Suzanne Lekoyiet, UN Environment Damiano Borgogno, UNDP, emphasized MRV and enhanced transparency should not only be put in place to meet international requirements, but “first and foremost for national benefits.” Toby Hedger, UNFCCC Secretariat, noted that developing countries already face challenges to timely reporting, and said support needs to continue to address these gaps and challenges. Suzanne Lekoyiet, UN Environment, stressed that, while much has been achieved under the CBIT, “urgent action” is still needed. Highlighting Costa Rica's platform for consultation, Andrea Meza, Costa Rica, noted her country's role in encouraging non-state actors to participate in climate policymaking. Andrea Meza, Costa Rica; Kirsten Orschulok, Germany; Miriam Hinostroza, UNEP DTU Partnership; and Mariana Kasprzyk, Uruguay Contact: Damiano Borgogno | damiano.borgogno@undp.org More Information: https://www.thegef.org/topics/capacity-building-initiative-transparency-cbit Around the Venue

The First Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020 entered its second day of discussions today in Brasilia, Brazil. The morning session opened with summaries of key points by the moderators of the two informal dialogues held the previous day on the themes “Looking ahead – SAICM and sound management of chemicals and waste in the light of future developments” and “Challenges and opportunities for sustainable chemistry to contribute to sustainable development.” The plenary throughout the rest of the day focused on in-depth discussions of agenda item 5, “Beyond 2020,” in terms of: vision and scope; the voluntary, multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral approach currently used by SAICM; responding to new and emerging issues; and financing implementation of the sound management of chemicals and waste. Before and after the plenary, focus groups were held to provide input from regional groups to the consultant preparing the independent evaluation of SAICM. During the lunch hour two more informal dialogues were held on the themes “Engaging partners to deliver the vision beyond 2020” and “Responding to a changing world: Addressing urgent and emerging issues.” IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage from the 1st Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has produced a summary and analysis report of the meeting, which is 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. Plenary A view of the room during plenary Achim Halpaap (left), UN Environment, and Fernando J. Gómez, World Economic Forum, report on Tuesday’s informal dialogues Co-Chair David Morin, Health Canada, and Brenda Koekkoek, SAICM Secretariat Jorge Peydro Aznar, EU Jutta Emig, Germany Alison Kennedy and Suzanne Leppinen, Canada Sofia Tingstorp, Sweden Heidar Ali Balouji, Iran Rikke Holmberg, Denmark Vinicius Trindade, Brazil Felix Wertli, Switzerland Jianhong Meng, China Iftikhar-ul-Hassan Shah Gilani, Pakistan Richard Fuller, Pure Earth Maria Neira, World Health Organization (WHO), addressed delegates via a video message Rowena Watson, US María Florencia Grimalt, Argentina Francis Kihumba, Kenya Juan Gómez, Colombia Sverre Thomas Jahre, Norway Somang Yang, CropLife Vladimir Lenev, Russian Federation Meriel Watts, PAN Asia Pacific Rachid Wahabi, Morocco Gilbert Kuepouo, Research and Education Centre for Development, Cameroon David Azoulay, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) Carolyn Vickers, WHO Michael Musenga, Children’s Environmental Health Foundation (CEHF), Zambia Junichi Matsumoto, Japan Odile Frank, NGO Forum for Health Rinchen Wangdi, Bhutan Griffins Ochieng’, Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD), Kenya Pirkko Kivelä, Finland Tadesse Amera, Pesticide Action Nexus Association (PAN-Ethiopia) Vassilios Karavezyris, Germany Jorge Ocaña, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Petronella Shoko, Zimbabwe Marie-Pierre Meganck, France Bob Diederich, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Informal Dialogue 3: Engaging Partners to Deliver the Vision Beyond 2020 Felix Dodds, Tellus Institute, moderated the informal dialogue Informal Dialogue 4: Responding to a Changing World: Addressing Urgent and Emerging Issues L-R: Moderator Carolyn Vickers, WHO; María Esquivel García, Ministry of Health, Panama; Richard Fuller, Pure Earth; Thais Araújo Cavendish, Ministry of Health, Brazil; Lady Virginia Traldi, Environment Company of the State of São Paulo (CETESB), Brazil; and Alan Kaufmann, Toy Industry Association Around the Venue Delegates consult informally Delegates networking

The First Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020 opened on Tuesday, 7 February 2017, in Brasilia, Brazil. Opening remarks were provided by Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat, Naoko Ishii (by video), CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil, and Gertrud Sahler (Germany), President, Fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5). The meeting then elected Leticia Reis Carvalho, Environment Ministry, Brazil, and David Morin, Health Canada, as co-chairs of the intersessional process. It also approved the provisional agenda after agreeing to amend it to provide for a separate discussion on means of implementation (MOI). Felix Dodds, Tellus Institute, provided a keynote speech on “Setting the Scene for Beyond 2020” discussing the 2030 Development Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the opportunities for linkages with the post-2020 process for chemicals and waste. Robert Nurick, consultant, discussed the interim independent evaluation report of the Strategic Approach for 2006-2015 and the process for producing the final report to be presented in 2018. The Secretariat also presented its update on SAICM progress for 2014-2016. During lunch, parallel informal dialogues were held on “Looking ahead – SAICM and sound management of chemicals and waste in the light of future developments” and “Challenges and opportunities for sustainable chemistry to contribute to sustainable development.” After lunch a high level segment was held, with keynotes provided by: Sarney Filho, Environment Minister, Brazil; Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment; Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary, German Federal Ministry for the Environment; and Amb. Carvalho. This was followed by a panel discussion including these speakers as well as Fernando Musa, CEO, Braskem, Marco Mensink, Director General, CEFIC, Jeffer Castelo Branco, Coordinator, Association for Combatting Persistent Organic Pollutants, and Erika Yamada, Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In the late afternoon plenary reconvened to begin discussion on “Beyond 2020,” focusing initially on reactions to the scope and vision outlined in the “Thought starter” prepared by the Bureau of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM). In the evening, delegates attended a reception hosted by the Government of Brazil. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage from the 1st Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has produced a summary and analysis report of the meeting, which is 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. Opening Session (L-R): Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil; Gertrud Sahler, Director General, German Federal Ministry of Environment, and President, Fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5); Marcelo Cruz, Executive Secretary, Environment Ministry, Brazil; and Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, GEF, addressed delegates via a video message Gertrud Sahler, Director General, German Federal Ministry of Environment, and ICCM5 President Marcelo Cruz, Executive Secretary, Environment Ministry, Brazil Brenda Koekkoek, SAICM Secretariat, shakes hands with Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil (L-R): Gertrud Sahler, Director General, German Federal Ministry of Environment, and ICCM5 President; Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil; Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat; and Marcelo Cruz, Executive Secretary, Environment Ministry, Brazil, at the end of the opening session (L-R): Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat; Co-Chair Leticia Reis Carvalho, Environment Ministry, Brazil; Co-Chair David Morin, Health Canada; and Brenda Koekkoek, SAICM Secretariat Co-Chair Leticia Reis Carvalho, Environment Ministry, Brazil Co-Chair David Morin, Health Canada Felix Dodds, Tellus Institute Robert Nurick, consultant Brenda Koekkoek, SAICM Secretariat Jorge Ocaña, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Reginald Hernaus, EU Iftikhar-ul-Hassan Shah Gilani, Pakistan Noluzuko (Zukie) Gwayi, South Africa Mohammad Hematyar, Iran David Azoulay, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) Oluday O. Dada, Expert for Africa Region Francis Kihumba, Kenya Felix Wertli, Switzerland Karissa Taylor Kovner, US María Florencia Grimalt, Argentina Achim Halpaap, UN Environment Jorge Peydro Aznar, EU Informal Dialogue 1: Looking Ahead – SAICM and Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste in the Light of Future Developments Panel speakers of the informal dialogue during Marco Mensink’s address Christabel Mibenge, Ministry of Health, Health Promotion, Environment and Social Determinants, Zambia Marco Mensink, Director General, European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC), and Bob Diederich, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Sabaa Khan, University of Eastern Finland Olga Speranskaya, International POPs Elimination Network Participants during the discussion A view of the room during the informal dialogue Informal Dialogue 2: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Chemistry to Contribute to Sustainable Development Panel speakers of the informal dialogue Marina Mattar, Brazilian Chemical Industry Association Qian Cheng, Greenpeace East Asia Jutta Emig, Ministry of Environment, Germany Noluzuko Gwayi, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa Moderator Achim Halpaap, UN Environment Participants during the discussion A view of the room during the informal dialogue High Level Panel: A Holistic Approach to Addressing Sustainable Development The dais during the high level panel Johanna Lissinger-Peitz, Senior Adviser, Climate Change Chief Negotiator, Government of Sweden Sarney Filho, Minister of Environment, Brazil Ricardo Barros, Minister of Health, Brazil Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil Marco Mensink, Director General, CEFIC Fernando Musa, CEO, Braskem Jeffer Castelo Branco, Coordinator, Association for Combating Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Erika Yamada, Independent Expert on the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Reception Hosted by the Government of Brazil

The following event was covered by IISD Reporting Services on Saturday, 10 December 2016: Signature and Launch of the Yucatan Peninsula Agreement on Sustainability for 2030 (ASPY) Biodiversity-Related Development Finance: Towards Better Tracking 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. Signature and Launch of the Yucatan Peninsula Agreement on Sustainability for 2030 (ASPY) Presented by the Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Mexican REDD+ Programme, and the Latin American Conservation Council (LACC) At this event, moderated by Antonio Godoy, State of Quintana Roo, the state governments of Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatán in Mexico, together with civil society organizations (CSOs) and over 50 companies committed to green growth and conservation of the Yucatán Peninsula by signing the ASPY. Aurelio Ramos, Director, TNC Latin America, noted the need to increase food production by 2050 due to population increase, stressing that Latin America is central to addressing this challenge. He underscored the need for private-public partnerships to meet the joint challenges of development and conservation, lauding the partnerships represented within the ASPY. He highlighted that the ASPY aims to, inter alia: achieve zero deforestation by 2030; restore two million hectares of degraded lands; and promote Mayan biocultural landscapes on over five million hectares of land. Rafael Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas, Governor of Campeche, said that the signing represented a step forward in the preservation of the YucatánPeninsula and in biodiversity mainstreaming. Calling the Agreement the “start of the green wave” of Mexico, he stressed that the ASPY will address not only forestry, but also marine and coastal, as well as terrestrial, biodiversity. He highlighted the region’s biocultural heritage, as well as the numerous protected areas, stating that Campeche has the largest mangrove area in the country. Rolando Zapata Bello, Governor of Yucatán, underscored that the region’s natural wealth is a “treasure,” pointing to the threats posed by climate change. He highlighted that the ASPY is an important strategy for the region and will be essential in achieving zero deforestation, and addressing sustainable consumption and production. He drew attention to Mexico’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and the Cancún Declaration on Mainstreaming Biodiversity, stressing that the Yucatán Peninsula will be central to achieving both these agreements. In a keynote address, Carlos Manuel Joaquín González, Governor of Quintana Roo, noted that the signing of the ASPY will drive green growth in the Yucatán Peninsula, and announced that this is the first regional agreement on conservation and sustainable growth in Mexico. He stressed that the ASPY is an opportunity to elaborate new green development strategies, and called for the coordination of efforts in order to meet the strategic goals set out in the Agreement, including on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, coastal zone management, ecosystem conservation, water, sustainable markets and sustainable tourism. He welcomed private sector partnerships to attain long-term sustainability represented in the ASPY, expressing confidence that other entrepreneurs and private sector actors will also join the Agreement. The Governors then signed the ASPY, which consists of two interlinked agreements: the collaboration Agreement between the three states; and the Private Sector Declaration. The dais during the event Aurelio Ramos, Director, TNC Latin America, pointed to the ASPY as a tool to attract resources from the global community and the private sector in order to promote green growth in the Yucatán Peninsula. Rafael Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas, Governor of Campeche, stressed that “we need to leave a better world for our children,” underlining the need for the youth to be involved in the green growth agenda. Rolando Zapata Bello, Governor of Yucatan, welcomed the ASPY, highlighting that it will make the region attractive to new investments that promote sustainable growth. Carlos Manuel Joaquín González, Governor of Quintana Roo, promised that he would “restore one coral for each vote,” and called for private investment in green development. (L-R): Rolando Zapata Bello, Governor of Yucatan, Carlos Manuel Joaquín González, Governor of Quintana Roo, and Rafael Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas, Governor of Campeche, sign the ASPY. Contact: Nadia Peimbert (Coordinator) | npeimbert@tnc.org More Information: http://www.nature.org/ggc http://ccpy.gob.mx/agenda-regional/aspy2030.php Biodiversity-Related Development Finance: Towards Better Tracking Presented by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) This workshop, moderated by Gabriela Blatter, Federal Office of Environment, Switzerland, engaged participants in discussing current methods of tracking biodiversity-related financing. Markus Lehmann, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat, highlighted the challenges faced by parties in meeting the financial mobilization targets, noting that mainstreaming biodiversity into all sectors makes financial reporting difficult, and pointed to the additional challenge on reporting private assistance. In the first session, on approaches to tracking biodiversity-related development finance, Galina Alova, OECD, presented the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Creditor Reporting System (CRS) used to monitor development finance targeting the three Rio Conventions. She described the Rio Markers, which are used to capture data to track financing of Rio Conventions’-related activities and goals. She reported bilateral biodiversity-related official development assistance (ODA) of US$8.7 billion in 2014-2015, with the top five contributors being Germany, the US, Japan, France and the EU. In a brief discussion, participants noted difficulties in ensuring data consistency due to the qualitative nature of the Rio Marker. Luis Antonio Sánchez Perales, Ministry of Environment, Peru, spoke about his country’s approach to tracking biodiversity-related expenditure, stressing that “we must know how much goes to salaries and how much goes to trees and birds.” He presented an online platform where data on both public and private expenditure for biodiversity-related finance can be tracked, noting that an average of US$500 million was spent between 2010 and 2014 on waste management, waste water treatment and in situ conservation of potato breeds. Bart Missinne, European Commission (EC), highlighted that the EU’s strategy for “biodiversity-proof” development cooperation must ensure that biodiversity is considered in: strategic environmental assessments, to identify and prevent undesired side effects of development projects on biodiversity, and through mitigation measures from development projects; and sector-wide planning, such as for health and infrastructure projects. He demonstrated how the EU has doubled total biodiversity-related ODA to developing countries by 116% against a baseline of average spending from 2006-2010. Ferdinand Mwapopi, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia, discussed his country’s experience in tracking national biodiversity expenditure. He cited the use of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) approach for public-private expenditure reviews for biodiversity and costing biodiversity-related projects. He reported progress in disaggregating expenditure data based on sources and activities, noting that biodiversity expenditure was highest in 2010, receiving 2.4% of total government expenditure, and lauded the substantial increase in Germany’s contribution since 2015. Blatter, on behalf of Eva Mayerhofer, European Investment Bank, spoke on the development of a joint methodology to track biodiversity-related multilateral development finance for multilateral development banks (MDBs). She reported reduced biodiversity-related funding and called on MDB member countries to channel more funding towards biodiversity. She noted that the OECD tracking methodology follows a process-related approach to assess the biodiversity relevance of funding, adding that tracking positive impacts of funding on ecosystem management is preferable to tracking financial flows. In the second session on how the DAC CRS can be used to track biodiversity-related ODA, Guillaume Simon, OECD, presented a biodiversity-related development finance database of the OECD using three examples of project reporting to illustrate information on, inter alia, donor commitments, project descriptions, timelines and geographic specification. He noted the database uses the Rio Markers to specify whether principal objectives of the project are biodiversity-related. He also said the data could be exported and that a data visualization tool, which illustrates project details, can be accessed at: http://stats.oecd.org Armida Andres, Biodiversity Management Bureau, the Philippines, discussed her country’s experience, noting concerns on the use of the Rio Markers since most projects do not fall directly in the categories proposed. She recommended feedback mechanisms between donor recipient countries and the CRS to refine these categories and to include differentiation of project implementation at national, subnational and local levels. She noted that tracking biodiversity expenditure is contributing to reporting to National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). She underscored her country’s preference for its own public expenditure review processes, saying the EU markers were “oversimplified.” Matthias Krause, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany, reported on a BMZ report ‘Committed to Biodiversity,’ which tracks Germany’s international cooperation in support of the CBD. He said bilateral funding is channeled through BMZ and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). He noted that the report focuses on international biodiversity finance, which promotes sustainable production and consumption patterns and ensures biodiversity and ecosystem services are taken into account in economic and political decision-making processes. In a lively two-part discussion, participants discussed, inter alia: the complexities of reporting particularly against the backdrop of mainstreaming biodiversity; the need to ensure that ODA actually benefits biodiversity; the importance of sharing information to avoid overlaps and improve transparency; the role of BIOFIN in reporting; the need to use biodiversity-relevant coefficients to mainstream biodiversity at the national level; and the need to consider biodiversity finance related to private lands. They also spoke about, inter alia: how to account for the difference between what is reflected in project proposals and what is implemented on the ground; how to practically track financing in the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets; and the danger of basing the ability to achieve all the Targets on Aichi Biodiversity Target 20 (resource mobilization). They also highlighted: the extent of biodiversity-related projects on the database; the importance of assisting recipient countries in using the OECD reporting database; the potential to bridge the gap between the use of datasets in reporting biodiversity-related financing and transparently communicating how this reporting aligns with national commitments for the Rio Conventions; and the use of “commitments” versus “disbursements” in reporting national efforts for biodiversity conservation. Moderator Gabriela Blatter, Federal Office of Environment, Switzerland Markus Lehmann, CBD Secretariat, welcomed country perspectives on biodiversity-related financial reporting. Galina Alova, OECD, said Africa accounted for the highest share of bilateral biodiversity-related ODA commitments in 2014-15, amounting to 31%. Luis Antonio Sánchez Perales, Ministry of Environment, Peru, noted that “it is not how much we spend on biodiversity, but what we do with the funding.” Bart Missinne, EC, described how the EU uses performance indicators to track and report on biodiversity investment. Grégoire Dubois, EC, during ensuing discussions. Matti Nummelin, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland Ferdinand Mwapopi, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia, said Namibia has been tracking biodiversity-related funding since 2006. Guillaume Simon, OECD Development Co-operation Directorate, described the content of an online database to track biodiversity-related development finance. Matthias Krause, BMZ, said that since 2012, projects that include the Rio Markers are considered in a country’s biodiversity-related bilateral financing. Contact: Galina Alova (Coordinator) | Galina.Alova@oecd.org Nicolina Lamhauge (Coordinator) | Nicolina.Lamhauge@oecd.org More Information: http://oe.cd/RioMarkers