Notification 2020-046

Dear Madam/Sir, During the High-Level Segment of the fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Governments of China and Egypt, together with the Secretariat of the CBD, launched the Sharm El-Sheikh to Kunming Action Agenda for Nature and People. Pursuant to decision XIV/34 (https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-14/cop-14-dec-34-en.pdf), Parties decided to encourage indigenous peoples and local communities and all relevant organizations and stakeholders including the private sector to consider developing, prior to the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, biodiversity commitments that may contribute to an effective post-2020 global biodiversity framework and to make such information available as a contribution to the Sharm El-Sheikh to Kunming Action Agenda for Nature and People. The Action Agenda aims to promote and showcase a groundswell of commitments from non-state actors to safeguard and reverse biodiversity loss, to provide momentum towards the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, to be adopted at COP 15 in Kunming, China, and contribute towards its implementation. As an engagement platform, the Action Agenda helps to raise awareness on the urgent need to halt the loss of biodiversity and restore healthy ecosystems, through a whole-of-society approach, for the transformative changes needed to achieve the 2050 Vision of Living in Harmony with Nature. The Action Agenda will reinforce existing commitments and platforms and inspire further commitments, from all sectors and stakeholders. As of June 2020, a total of 125 commitments have been submitted. As we continue to build momentum for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, joining the Action Agenda provides opportunities to demonstrate that the transformations sought to reach the 2050 Vision are real, possible and necessary for humankind. I encourage Parties and observers to promote the Action Agenda by registering commitments and/or by encouraging indigenous peoples and local communities and all relevant organizations and stakeholders including the private sector, to do so, using our newly designed platform available at: https://www.cbd.int/action-agenda/. The visibility and accessibility of commitments on the platform is enhanced through new search features, which enable the user to pledge commitments and search through specific categories. Current categories include food systems and health; freshwater, coastal and ocean ecosystems; conservation and restoration of land ecosystems; climate change mitigation and adaptation; conservation and sustainable use of species; sustainable consumption and production; stewardship; urban sustainability; and green finance. Together with the Governments of China and Egypt, we aim to expand on other profiling features in the lead-up to COP 15, as well as through social media channels and at forthcoming events and meetings, to keep stakeholders engaged as the momentum for nature and people continues to build towards COP 15 and throughout the decade. For further information on the Action Agenda, please send an e-mail to: action.agenda@cbd.int. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary Executive Secretary

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