Notification 2020-034

Dear Madam/Sir, Reference is made to Resolution A/RES/74/269 (https://undocs.org/en/A/RES/74/269) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 31 March 2020, by which the General Assembly decided that the Summit on Biodiversity at the level of Heads of State and Government, to be convened by the President of the General Assembly, shall be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on the first day of the general debate of the Assembly at its seventy-fifth session, that is 22 September 2020, from 3 to 6 p.m., and on the second day of the general debate, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Summit on Biodiversity will be convened under the theme “Urgent Action on Biodiversity for Sustainable Development” and will consist of an opening segment, a plenary segment for general discussion, two Leaders’ Dialogues and a closing segment. The Leaders’ Dialogues will be held under the following themes: “Addressing biodiversity loss and mainstreaming biodiversity for sustainable development” (Dialogue 1) and “Harnessing science, technology and innovation, capacity-building, access and benefit-sharing, financing and partnerships for biodiversity” (Dialogue 2). Further details concerning the scope, modalities, format and organization of the Summit are outlined in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of the Resolution. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity encourages Parties to prepare for the Summit, and to ensure participation at the highest possible level and the inclusion in delegations of representatives of parliamentary institutions, local governments, civil society, including non-governmental organizations, indigenous peoples and local communities, community organizations, faith-based organizations, academia, philanthropic foundations, youth and the private sector, with due regard to gender balance, as per paragraph 10 of the Resolution. Further to paragraph 11 of the Resolution, the Summit will provide a unique opportunity to demonstrate ambition to accelerate action on biodiversity for sustainable development, and thereby give momentum to the development and eventual adoption of an effective post 2020 global biodiversity framework at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP 15). Together with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity has been invited by the President of the General Assembly to assist in the preparation of the Summit. The Secretariat will provide further information in this regard in due course. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Acting Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, Cartagena Protocol Focal Points, ABS Focal Points, indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant organizations