Notification 2015-063

Dear Madam/Sir, In anticipation of the seventh replenishment of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity decided to undertake, at its thirteenth meeting, the second determination of funding requirements for the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols (decision XII/30, paragraph 11). In the annex to the same decision, the Conference of the Parties also requested the Executive Secretary to contract a team of five experts to prepare a report on the full assessment of funding necessary and available for the implementation of the Convention for the period July 2018 to June 2022. Parties and relevant organizations were invited to nominate an expert to prepare the report through notification 2015-008 of 16 January 2015. Based on the nominations received, five experts were selected taking into account their relevant expertise as well as regional and gender balance. Following approval of the COP Bureau, I am pleased to convey herewith the list of experts. The selection of experts is based on the requirements of the annex to decision XII/30. In addition, previous experiences in similar exercises are also considered in order to adapt for the limitation of available funding. Among the nominations, Mr. Appukuttan Nair Damodaran (India), Ms. Maria Schultz (Sweden) and Mr. Günter Mitlacher (WWF) were members of the previous expert team that prepared the report on the full assessment of funding necessary and available for the implementation of the Convention for the sixth replenishment of the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund. Mr. Carlos Manuel Rodriguez Echandi (Costa Rica) was the Chair of the High-level Panel on the Global Assessment of Resources for Implementing the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. Mr. Yasushi Hibi (Japan) has been a member of the Committee on Resource Mobilization in relation to Biodiversity and the Committee on Promoting Biodiversity in Society and Economy of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan. Further background information on the experts is available at: http://www.cbd.int/financial/gef7needs.shtml. In accordance with decision XII/30, Parties and GEF entities will be consulted through a questionnaire on funding needs in due course. In addition, experts, including those nominated in response to the above notification, will be invited to provide information and support in this process. Thanks to the financial support from the Government of Japan through its Japan Biodiversity Fund, the team of experts will undertake the preparatory process, with support from the Secretariat and experts. I want to take this opportunity to renew the call on Governments, in a position to do so, to provide additional financial support in order to ensure the full implementation of the provisions contained in the annex to decision XII/30. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration. ANNEX Composition of experts for preparing a report on the full assessment of funding necessary and available for the implementation of the Convention for the period July 2018 to June 2022 DEVELOPING COUNTRY PARTIES 1. CostaRica Mr. Carlos Manuel Rodriguez Echandi 2. I ndia Mr. A. Damodaran DEVELOPED COUNTRY PARTIES 3. Japan Mr. Yasushi Hibi 4. Sweden Ms. Maria Schultz INTERNATIONAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 5. WWF Mr. Günter Mitlacher

Executive Secretary

To: All Focal Points under the Convention and its Protocols, relevant stakeholder organizations