Notification 2019-073

Dear Madam/Sir, I have the pleasure to inform you that the Secretariat will convene a thematic workshop on ecosystem restoration to inform the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, from 6 to 8 November 2019, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The co-chairs of the Open-ended Working Group on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and the Secretariat are organizing this thematic workshop in collaboration with the Government of Brazil, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, UN Environment, and the International Institute for Sustainability. This thematic workshop on ecosystem restoration is intended to facilitate an initial informal dialogue, based on scientific inputs and the experience of Parties, in order to, inter alia, develop suggestions regarding potential goals, targets and indicators, as well as thoughts on related monitoring and reporting for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The outputs of this workshop will be submitted to the second meeting of the Open-ended Working Group for its consideration. Accordingly, I invite Parties, other Governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, and relevant organizations to nominate one expert to participate in this thematic workshop. Nominations should include the name and full contact details of the 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. Nominations should be sent as soon as possible, but no later than 16 September 2019 via e-mail to secretariat@cbd.int or via fax to +1 514 288-6588. Participants of the workshop will be selected from among nominees based on relevant expertise and experience, considering gender balance and equitable geographical representation. Ten to fifteen experts will be selected per region on the basis of nominations by Parties, and a balanced number of participants from indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant organizations. The selected nominees from eligible Parties and a limited number of representatives of indigenous people and local communities will receive financing from the Secretariat to facilitate their participation. The meeting will be conducted in English. For your information, the European Union project supporting the development of the post-2020 biodiversity framework will hold a preparatory workshop to be held in Rio de Janeiro from 4 to 5 November 2019. This pre-workshop will provide its outcomes to the thematic workshop. Parties are therefore encouraged to indicate the interest of their nominees to also participate in this pre-workshop. Participants of the pre-workshop will be selected from among those selected to participate in the thematic workshop and will receive DSA for the additional days. Also, for your information, the International Institute for Sustainability will host a workshop on 5 November 2019, in Rio de Janeiro, for selected participants to interact with its restoration planning platform that includes integrated spatial planning and estimates of impacts for species conservation and climate change mitigation. Interested Parties are encouraged to nominate experts to attend this workshop. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points; SBSTTA Focal Points; relevant organizations; indigenous peoples and local communities