Notification 2019-010

Dear Madam/Sir, In decision 14/34 (https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-14/cop-14-dec-34-en.pdf), the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity at its fourteenth meeting adopted a preparatory process for the development of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and requested the Executive Secretary to facilitate its implementation. The process includes, among other elements of work, organization of regional consultations to ensure a harmonized approach to the preparation of recommendations for the new framework and facilitate further discussions of its components at the meetings of the Open-ended Intersessional Working Group on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. I am therefore pleased to inform Parties and other Governments in the Western European and Others Group, and other members of the European Union, as well as relevant organizations, that a Regional Consultation on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework will be held from 19 to 21 March 2019 in Bonn, Germany. The consultation is being convened by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity in collaboration with the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of Germany. The consultation will be conducted in English. Parties and other Governments in the Western European and Others Group, and other members of the European Union are invited to nominate two representatives to participate in this consultation. Relevant organizations are invited to nominate one representative. The nominated experts should be familiar with the work to implement the Convention, and the Cartagena and Nagoya Protocols as appropriate, in their country or region. They should be able to discuss the state of biodiversity and identify key issues and challenges in the region, provide guidance on the elements of work to facilitate the development of the new global biodiversity framework and its components, and suggest ways to implement the new framework. Nominations must include an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary, signed by the National Focal Point or the Head of the organization, indicating the name and full contact details of the nominees. All nomination letters must be received as soon as possible but no later than 22 February 2019 (scanned and attached to an e-mail addressed to secretariat@cbd.int; or faxed to +1 (514) 288-6588). I thank you for your cooperation in this matter and your continued support for the work of the Convention. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, Cartagena Protocol National Focal Points, ABS National Focal Points of: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, relevant organizations