Fourth meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework 21-26 June 2022 – Nairobi, Kenya

• Ref.: SCBD/EM/DC/90280
• Notification No. 2022-024

Official Notification from Ms. Maruma Mrema
Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity,

I have the honour to inform you that, further to recommendation WG2020-3/3, the fourth meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework will be held from 21 to 26 June 2022 and will be hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya.

The provisional agenda, annotations to the provisional agenda, the information note for participants and other relevant documentation will be made available in due course at:
https://www.cbd.int/meetings/WG2020-04

The fourth meeting of the Working Group will be conducted in person. However, taking into account requirements related to the ongoing pandemic, there may be a need to limit the number of persons with access to the venue at any one time to facilitate social distancing.  Thus, Parties and observers are also encouraged to limit the total number of their representatives present physically in Nairobi. To facilitate this, provision will be made to allow delegations from Parties and observers to follow the sessions of the meeting, both plenary and contact groups, virtually. Please note, however, that online participation will be limited to viewer mode only. Arrangements will also be made for the regular testing of participants.

In addition, special arrangements will be made for any Party that is not able to participate physically in Nairobi due to travel restrictions. To allow sufficient technical planning for the meeting, Parties should inform the Secretariat by 10 May 2022 if they foresee that it will not be possible, due to travel restrictions, for any member of their delegation to travel to Nairobi for the meeting.

I also have the honour to repeat the call made in paragraph 5 of recommendation WG2020-3/3 to invite Parties in a position to do so to make contributions to: the Special Voluntary Trust Fund (BE) to support the costs of convening the meeting; the Special Voluntary Trust Fund (BZ) with a view to enabling the participation of two representatives from each of the eligible Parties; and the Voluntary Trust Fund (VB) for the participation of indigenous peoples and local communities.

Nominations

The designation of representatives to attend the meeting of the Working Group should be submitted through an official letter of nomination addressed to the Secretariat, sent as a scanned e-mail attachment to: secretariat@cbd.int or by fax at +1 514-288-6588, preferably by 31 May 2022. Information regarding online registration will be provided in due course. Early registration is encouraged.

Financial support

Please note that, subject to the availability of contributions to the Special Voluntary Trust Fund (BZ), the Secretariat will be in a position to finance the participation of up to two representatives in the fourth meeting of the Working Group from each of the developing countries Parties to the Convention, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition. Parties to the Convention eligible to receive financial support that wish to solicit such assistance are kindly requested to advise the Secretariat at their earliest convenience, but no later than 5 May 2022, of the name and coordinates of their Government’s officially designated representative to benefit from such financial support. It will not be possible for the Secretariat to respond positively to request for funding received after this deadline.

Furthermore, in accordance with the criteria for the operations of the Voluntary Funding Mechanism to facilitate the participation of indigenous and local communities in the work of the Convention on Biological Diversity, representatives of indigenous peoples and local communities are invited to submit a request for financial assistance for consideration for the June 2022 meeting, subject to the availability of funds, at their earliest convenience but no later than 5 May 2022.  A list of beneficiaries from the indigenous peoples and local communities will be communicated via notification and selected participants will be contacted directly by the Secretariat regarding necessary arrangements.

Due to the increased security procedures for travellers and budget constraints, and with a view to enabling the participation of a maximum number of countries in the meeting, the Secretariat will be using special airfare tickets for sponsored delegates that impose restrictions with respect to the changing of passenger’s name, travel dates and itinerary. Please note, therefore, that it will not be possible for the Secretariat to accommodate name changes after the ticket has been issued.

Workshop to discuss proposed annexes on planning, monitoring, reporting and review mechanism

In addition, further to SBI recommendation 3/11, a workshop is being convened on options to enhance planning, monitoring, reporting and review mechanisms. Considering the relationship of these issues with the global biodiversity framework, the workshop will inform related discussions at WG2020-4, and also facilitate consideration of these matters at part II of the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties. In particular, the workshop will provide an opportunity for Parties to discuss the proposed annexes that are referred to in SBI recommendation 3/11, taking into account the results of the extended peer review (see Notification 2022-018).  The workshop will take place on 17 and 18 June 2022, in the same venue as WG2020-4.  Further information on the workshop can be found at:
https://www.cbd.int/meetings/IDWS-2022-01 .

The workshop will be open to participation for all delegations from Parties to the Working Group. However, participation will be limited to one representative per delegation. Kindly note that limited space will be provided for the participation of observers. Parties and observers who wish to participate in the workshop should inform the Secretariat via an official nomination letter preferably by 31 May 2022. Subject to the availability of funds, financial support for the participation of Parties in the workshop can be provided to one of the two representatives that will be funded by the Secretariat to attend the Working Group.  Request for funding should be sent to the Secretariat no later than 5 May 2022.

I look forward to your participation in the fourth meeting of the Working Group and the workshop, and your contributions to the post-2020 process.  The Secretariat wishes to assure all that it will continue to keep the meeting arrangements in Nairobi under review in light of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

The text of this notification is also available in PDF format:
http://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2022/ntf-2022-024-wg20204-en.pdf

Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Elizabeth Maruma Mrema
Executive Secretary
Convention on Biological Diversity