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SBSTTA 15 Recommendation XV/8

XV/8.Ways and means to improve the effectiveness of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice

The Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice
1. Requests the Executive Secretary, in collaboration with the relevant academic and scientific institutions, to prepare scientific reports and papers in response to decision VIII/10, annex III, appendix B, paragraph 1 (ii);
2. Also requests the Executive Secretary and encourages host countries, host institutions and donors, when preparing meetings of ad hoc technical expert groups on particularly complex and wide ranging issues, to consider whether to hold such meetings separately or in conjunction with larger expert meetings, including relevant meetings already being planned, and to develop associated guidance;
3. Recalling decision X/11, also requests the Executive Secretary in collaboration with the Bureau of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and the COP Bureau to identify issues, modalities and options for collaboration with the intergovernmental science-policy platform for biodiversity and ecosystem services (IPBES), taking into consideration the views presented at the fifteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body, and to prepare a report for consideration by the Subsidiary Body at its sixteenth meeting;
4. Encourages the participation of the Chair of the Subsidiary Body at future IPBES meetings and related events;
5. Recommends that the Conference of the Parties:
(a) Request SBSTTA to continue implementing decisions VIII/10 and X/12 and focus its work on the scientific and technical aspects of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the multi-year programme of work, as a means to improve its effectiveness and to report on its work to each future meeting of the Conference of the Parties;
(b) Recall its decision X/13 regarding the established procedure to include new and emerging issues into the agenda of SBSTTA;
(c) Note the role of the peer-review process for SBSTTA documents in mobilizing scientific communities and strengthening SBSTTA document quality;
(d) Recognize the role of regional, subregional and national centres with scientific expertise relevant to the implementation of the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity;
(e) Invite Parties, other Governments, and relevant organizations to provide additional resources for the translation of scientific and technical documents, including CBD Technical Series and executive summaries of information documents prepared for meetings of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice in the official languages of the United Nations;
(f) Invite Parties and relevant organizations to facilitate side-events and roundtables, including on new and emerging issues, so as to provide relevant, balanced and best available scientific and technical evidence and/or information for consideration by SBSTTA focal points at the meetings of the Subsidiary Body;
(g) Further invite Parties and relevant organizations to support the elaboration of the reference manual for guidance to SBSTTA focal points, Bureau members and delegates referred to in decision X/12, paragraph 4, including translation into United Nations official languages;
(h) Welcome the contribution from the Consortium of Scientific Partners in providing scientific and technical support to SBSTTA including with regards to the activities referred to in this recommendation;
(i) Invite the Consortium of Scientific Partners and other organizations such as IUCN and its commissions to support implementation of activities mentioned in subparagraphs (f) and (g) above;
(j) Noting the report on progress and suggestions for further actions in response to decision X/12 (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/15/15, table 2), requests the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of resources, to:
(i) Make available web-based tools and training in their use to focal points of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and other CBD focal points in order to facilitate regional consultations;
(ii) Develop training programmes for focal points to the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice taking into consideration the assessment of needs as compiled by the Executive Secretary through notification 2011-104 and the capacity needs assessment of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation Liaison Group;
(iii) Prepare background documents, whenever feasible, to accompany notifications to SBSTTA focal points requesting input and information;
(iv) Continue to include, in each pre-session document prepared for SBSTTA, a list of relevant elements of the Strategic Plan;
(v) Continue to explore options for closer collaboration between the relevant bureaus among the biodiversity related conventions through the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-Related Conventions (BLG) and the Chairs of the Scientific Advisory Bodies of the Biodiversity-Related Conventions (CSAB);
(vi) Provide information notes on relevant items on the agenda of the Subsidiary Body to the chairs of the subsidiary bodies of the other biodiversity-related multilateral conventions and attend meetings of those bodies when feasible;
(vii) Maintain through the Convention's website a table with an updated list of requests from the Conference of the Parties to the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and links to relevant sections of the Convention website and to circulate such an updated list to the Bureau of the Subsidiary Body prior to each meeting for its consideration and guidance.

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