GBO-3 Advisory Group

The first draft of Global Biodiversity Outlook 3 is available for peer review until 1 October 2009 from http://www.cbd.int/gbo3review.  Reviewers encountering difficulty in accessing the document can request that an electronic copy be sent to them directly by sending an email to GBO3@cbd.int.

Dear members of the GBO-3 Advisory Group, dear participants in the first meeting,   
Report of the first meeting: please send feedback by 25 July 2008   A draft of the report of the first meeting is attached for your comments. We would appreciate if you could send your reactions and requests for changes back to us by 25 July 2008.    Second meeting of the 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership: for your information  This meeting took place at the CBD Secretariat in Montreal on 25 and 26 June 2008. A summary report of the meeting is available at http://www.twentyten.net/news/BIP2ndMeeting.aspx. The meeting was followed by discussions between SCBD and UNEP-WCMC regarding the preparation of GBO-3 and in particular the joint preparation of a grant proposal to cover part of the cost of the preparation of GBO-3.      GBO-3 web pages being updated: for your information and contributions  The pages on GBO-3 (http://www.cbd.int/gbo3) are currently being updated to reflect the latest decisions, developments and their implications on the production time table. Some functions are still under construction, including the database of case studies and scientific literature. However, we would like to solicit your help in identifying examples of documented trends in biodiversity (any aspect of biodiversity covered by the framework of targets and indicators) as well as their links to drivers/root causes of change (either qualitative or where possible quantitative) and, where applicable, responses taken. Examples might draw on local, national or regional studies and experiences. In this context we would appreciate to receive just uncommented weblinks to relevant reports or studies, including those published in languages other than the UN languages.   
Discussions on partnership with GEO International Magazine: please give us your views by 31 August 2008  Following the successful photo exhibition on the 2010 biodiversity target, prepared in collaboration with GEO Media, the CBD Secretariat has begun to explore a possible collaboration with GEO International Magazine (http://www.geo-international.de ) on the preparation of GBO-3. Specifically, an agreement might concern the participation of GEO writers in the finalization of the original (English) version of the main report (and possibly some ancillary products) as well as that of GEO writers in the adaptation to Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish. The  expectation of such an agreement would be that GBO-3 in each of the UN languages is well-written (not a word-by-word translation) while ensuring a consistency in style. Given the wide range of languages in which GEO magazine is produced, additional language versions could be prepared in a similar way if specific funding would be allocated by interested countries.   While some of the cost for the science writers would have to be paid from the GBO-3 budget there would be a considerable contribution in kind from GEO International Magazine. In return, GEO country editions would be able to draw on material and stories assembled for GBO-3 for use within their monthly magazines and include reference to the International Year of Biodiversity (and probably the CBD and GBO-3). These articles could therefore be considered as part of the communication strategy in 2010.  Options for working with GEO International Magazine on using photos are also being explored but may be less likely to succeed given the need for GBO-3 to be an open-source publication which facilitates rather than complicates reproduction and dissemination.  We would be interested in your views and ideas about a collaboration with GEO International Magazine or other possible partners.   
Options for scenarios for GBO-3: please give us your views by 31 August 2008  There appear to be mixed feelings about the usefulness of scenarios and their scientific underpinning. The Secretariat is therefore currently exploring the feasibility of a review (and possibly mini-assessment) of existing scenarios and statements they allow for projecting biodiversity trends into the future.   With regard to new scenarios concerns have been raised for example about the GLOBIO model and I would like to draw your attention to a review of the latest version of this model  (see http://www.mnp.nl/en/publications/2007/InternationalreviewoftheGLOBIOmodelversion3.html ). Meanwhile, the Netherlands Environment Assessment Agency (MNP) is keen to contribute to GBO-3 and, based on several discussions over the past months, proposed some options contained in the attached document.   We would like to know your thoughts about including new global scenarios in GBO-3 and about the proposals from MNP.   
With best regards from Montreal, 
The GBO-3 team at SCBD 

Dear members of the GBO-3 Advisory Group,

First of all, let me thank you for agreeing to contribute to the challenging process of preparing the third edition of Global Biodiversity Outlook and welcome you to the advisory team.
To make our work most effective in terms of time and cost and to keep it as carbon-neutral as possible, much of the work of the Advisory Group will be through email exchanges and this web working place. We will, however, arrange to have informal meetings amongst those of us participating in relevant events (such as SBSTTA-13, FAO, Rome, 18 - 22 February 2008) and envisage a formal meeting at the margins of COP-9 (Bonn, 19 - 30 May 2008).
As a first step, we would like to bring you all up-to-date on preparations and developments so far. You will find some background and views on the shape and content of GBO-3 summarized in the draft document that will be submitted to COP-9. We would appreciate if you could browse through this document. In the coming week or so we will then contact you by telephone to discuss any questions you may have. Please also use this forum to share any views and feedback with the entire group.

With many thanks in advance for your support and best regards from Montreal,

Robert Höft