Notification 2017-058

Dear Madam/Sir, Through this notification, Parties, other Governments, relevant organizations and indigenous peoples and local communities are invited to nominate scientific and technical experts for inclusion on a roster of experts for the informal advisory group for ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs). In paragraph 11 of decision XIII/12 (https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-13/cop-13-dec-12-en.pdf), the Conference of the Parties requested the Executive Secretary to establish an informal advisory group for EBSAs, subject to available financial resources, to facilitate implementation of the voluntary practical options referred to in paragraph 9 and annex II of the same decision. The Conference of the Parties requested that the Executive Secretary follow the guidance on expert groups contained in the consolidated modus operandi of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (decision VIII/10, annex III (h)) and the terms of reference provided in annex III to decision XIII/12 (attached as an appendix to the present notification). Specifically, the informal advisory group shall, in providing scientific and technical advice to the Executive Secretary, have the following objectives: (a) Provide scientific and technical advice on matters relating to revising and further developing existing scientific guidance, particularly regarding information collection, protocol for data quality control and sharing, gap analysis, systematic assessment against the EBSA criteria, and improvement of the functionality of the EBSA repository; and (b) Provide scientific and technical advice regarding the need for additional workshops at the appropriate scale, based on the analysis of new information and a representativeness analysis with regard to the geographic coverage beyond national jurisdiction as well as coverage of ecological and biological features of existing areas meeting the EBSA criteria in areas beyond national jurisdiction. (The activities described in this subparagraph only relate to the areas meeting the EBSA criteria in areas beyond national jurisdiction. In cases where the EBSA is located both within and beyond national jurisdiction, the activities only relate to the portion of the EBSA that is beyond national jurisdiction.) The informal advisory group will provide scientific and technical advice to the Executive Secretary as elaborated in the terms of reference. The informal advisory group is expected to work through different modalities, including e-mail communications, virtual meetings (e.g., teleconference and videoconference) and periodic in-person meetings, including in conjunction with other meetings (e.g., meetings of the SBSTTA and the Conference of the Parties). Based on nominations submitted in response to this notification, the Executive Secretary, in consultation with the Bureau of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, will select experts for inclusion on the roster of experts for the informal advisory group on EBSAs, using the following criteria: (a) Significant scientific knowledge and experience in the application of the EBSA criteria, including experience demonstrated during the CBD regional workshops to facilitate the description of EBSAs, and knowledge and experience in the application of other relevant compatible and complementary nationally and intergovernmentally agreed scientific criteria; (b) Significant scientific knowledge and experience related to the application of scientific guidance on the application of EBSA criteria (annex VI, UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/14/INF/4 (https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/sbstta/sbstta-14/information/sbstta-14-inf-04-en.pdf)); (c) Significant scientific knowledge and experience related to developing and applying biogeographic classification systems in marine and coastal areas; and (d) Significant scientific knowledge and experience relevant to the implementation of the Voluntary Practical Options for Further Enhancing Scientific Methodologies and Approaches, including Collaborative Arrangements, on the Description of EBSAs, as contained in annex II of decision XIII/12 (https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-13/cop-13-dec-12-en.pdf). Nominations should include the name and full contact details of nominee and should be submitted via an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary and signed, respectively, by the National Focal Point or head of the organization/initiative. All nominations must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae clearly indicating the areas of expertise and experience of the nominee, considering the above selection criteria. Nominations must be received as soon as possible, but no later than 31 August 2017 (scanned and sent to secretariat@cbd.int; or faxed to +1 (514) 288-6588). Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration. Annex (Annex III to decision XIII/12.) TERMS OF REFERENCE OF AN INFORMAL ADVISORY GROUP ON ECOLOGICALLY OR BIOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT MARINE AREAS I. MANDATE 1. The informal advisory group shall, in providing scientific and technical advice to the Executive Secretary, have the following objectives: (a) Provide scientific and technical advice on matters relating to revising and further developing existing scientific guidance, particularly regarding information collection, protocol for data quality control and sharing, gap analysis, systematic assessment against the EBSA criteria, and improvement of the functionality of the EBSA repository; (b) Provide scientific and technical advice regarding the need for additional workshops at the appropriate scale, based on the analysis of new information and a representativeness analysis with regard to the geographic coverage beyond national jurisdiction as well as coverage of ecological and biological features of existing areas meeting the EBSA criteria in areas beyond national jurisdiction. (The activities described in this subparagraph only relate to the areas meeting the EBSA criteria in areas beyond national jurisdiction. In cases where the EBSA is located both within and beyond national jurisdiction, the activities only relate to the portion of the EBSA that is beyond national jurisdiction.) II. COMPOSITION 2. The Executive Secretary, in consultation with the Bureau of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, will select scientific and technical experts from the nominations submitted by Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations, including indigenous peoples and local communities. The informal advisory group shall comprise up to 30 experts who are competent in the relevant field of expertise, with no more than 20 selected from a roster developed on the basis of nominations from Parties, with due regard to geographical representation, to gender balance and to the special conditions of developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, small island developing States, and countries with economies in transition, as well as a limited number of experts nominated by other Governments and by relevant organizations, depending on the subject matter. 3. The informal advisory group is established for a two-year period, and may be renewed by a decision of the Conference of the Parties. The members of the advisory group shall be selected for two-year period. Changes in the membership should not affect the continuity of the work of the advisory group. 4. The informal advisory group may also draw on existing expertise and liaise with relevant international, regional and national organizations, as appropriate, in the execution of its mandate. III. OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES 5. The Secretariat will use available means of electronic communication to reduce the requirement for face-to-face meetings. Subject to the availability of financial resources, the informal advisory group will meet as needed to ensure timely provision of advice, and will, wherever possible, meet back-to-back with other relevant meetings. 6. The results of the activities outlined above by the informal advisory group shall be submitted, after peer-review, as appropriate, for consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice at a future meeting held prior to a future meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, SBSTTA Focal Points, and Marine and Coastal Biodiversity National Focal Points; relevant organizations; and indigenous peoples and local communities