L to R: Mr. Axel Benemann, Mr Jochen Flasbarth, Mr. Sigmar Gabriel, Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf. Photo by IISD\Markus Staas

The LifeWeb Initiative was launched in May 2008 during the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Decision IX/18 welcomed the efforts of the LifeWeb Initiative and noted the opportunities Parties and other organizations have to participate in this Initiative. A diversity of donors are envisioned to support LifeWeb projects, including governments, multilateral institutions, foundations, and the private sector.

The LifeWeb Coordination Office

In June of 2009, a Coordination Office was established at the CBD Secretariat.This office was established with the support of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, within the framework of the International Climate Initiative.

The role of this Coordination Office is to:

• Design and manage a web-based information clearing-house to profile needs articulated by CBD Contracting Parties as well as indigenous and local communities.
• Strengthen the LifeWeb donor base to support these needs.
• Facilitate funding partnerships among donors and with recipients.
• Improve understanding of the contributions of protected areas to livelihoods and as solutions to the climate crisis, as well as enable their integration into sustainable development planning, and climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.