Welcome to LifeWeb

LifeWeb is a global initiative to support the creation and improve the management of protected areas. Officially launched in May 2008 during the COP 9 meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), LifeWeb creates a global partnership for the CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA). Parties, indigenous and local communities and other relevant stakeholders are invited to actively participate in the initiative. The functioning of LifeWeb is possible through the funding and support of the Federal Ministry of Environment Germany.

LifeWeb - Background

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

The Government of Germany launched LifeWeb in May 2008 during the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 9) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

In its decision IX/18 on the Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA), the COP:
	Welcomed the efforts of the LifeWeb Initiative, and noted the opportunities Parties and other organizations have to participate in this Initiative.
In paragraph 5 (a) of the same decision, the COP:
	Encouraged Parties to transmit to the Executive Secretary, as appropriate, information on those sites identified on the basis of the gap analysis and the overall National Biodiversity Strategies, that they may wish to designate as protected areas with the purpose of facilitating access to the information by Parties and organizations interested in supporting these efforts; with a view to mobilize enhanced financial support for these efforts.
Further, in paragraph 18, the COP:
	Requested the Executive Secretary to compile the information mentioned in paragraph 5 (a) of the same decision and make this information available on the website of the Secretariat.