IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis

UN Biodiversity Convention’s science and implementation bodies to meet -- 3 May - 13 June 2021

THU // 8.4.2021

These meetings are being convened virtually as an exceptional measure due to the conditions imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Dates have been confirmed for the twenty-fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-24), and the third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-3), two meetings essential to the development of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework to be agreed later this year in Kunming, China.

Holding these meetings virtually does not constitute a precedent for the organization of future meetings under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Further details are contained in the following scenario notes:

The meetings will build upon the work of the informal meetings of the two bodies that were held in February and March 2021.

These meetings will allow for the timely preparation of COP-15, being held under the theme, "Ecological Civilization: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth", from 11-24 October 2021 in Kunming, China. The post-2020 framework is expected to play a significant role in building resilience, galvanizing national action and international cooperation for nature in face of growing environmental, health and development challenges.

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity will continue to monitor further developments regarding the ongoing uncertainties caused by the pandemic. The Secretariat will announce any further changes that may become necessary.

The CBD Secretariat will continue to monitor further developments regarding the ongoing uncertainties caused by the pandemic and announce any further changes that may become necessary.

More information:

Press Release

SBSTTA-24 and SBI-3 Meeting Details

Preparations for the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework

Schedule of Plenaries

Plenaries will be limited to three hours each day, from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Montreal (EDT), and held on the following dates:

First plenary, 3 - 4 May
Second plenary, 23 - 26 May
Third plenary, 7 - 9 June (adjournment)

The meeting will be adjourned at the conclusion of the third plenary session until a later date--for the finalization of the work.

Timeline

Notes:

There will be a 15-minute break during each plenary session, approximately 1.5 hours into the session.
No sessions will be held in parallel. Therefore, where a contact group is planned for the same day as a plenary session or another contact group, it will be scheduled to avoid a clash of times.
Indications as to whether contact groups are expected to be established ( → CG) or not ( → CRP) are for planning purposes only.

Date	Day	Meeting	Agenda item, activity
3 May	Mon	SBSTTA 24 Plenary	Items 1, 2 Item 3 - Completion of first reading (Focus on Add.2) → CGs
4 May	Tue	SBSTTA 24 Plenary	Item 6 - Completion of first reading → CG Item 8 - First reading → CRP Adjournment
5 May	Wed	SBSTTA contact groups (CG)	CG on item 3 (S&T review of Goals and Targets, Add.2)
6 May	Thu	SBSTTA contact groups (CG)	CG on item 3 (S&T review of Goals and Targets, Add.2)
7 May	Fri	SBSTTA contact groups (CG)	CG on item 3 (Monitoring framework, Add.1)
8 May	Sat	SBSTTA contact groups (CG)	CG on item 3 (Monitoring framework, Add.1)
10 May	Mon	SBSTTA contact groups (CG)	CG on item 6
11 May	Tue	SBSTTA contact groups (CG)	CG on item 6
23 May	Sun	SBSTTA 24 Plenary	Item 7 - Completion of first reading → CRP Item 10 - Completion of first reading → CRP Item 8 - Review and approval of CRP
24 May	Mon	SBSTTA 24 Plenary	Item 3 - (Post-2020) Review and approval of CRP
25 May	Tue	SBSTTA 24 Plenary	Item 6 - Review and approval of CRP Item 9 - First reading → CRP
26 May	Wed	SBSTTA 24 Plenary	Item 9 - First reading as needed → CRP Item 4 - Completion of first reading → CG Item 5 Completion of first reading → CG Adjournment
1 June	Tue	SBSTTA contact groups	CG: SBSTTA items 4 or 5 as needed
2 June	Wed	SBSTTA contact groups	CG: SBSTTA items 4 or 5 as needed
3 June	Thu	SBSTTA contact groups	CG: SBSTTA items 4 or 5 as needed
4 June	Fri	SBSTTA contact groups	CG: SBSTTA items 4 or 5 as needed
7 June	Mon	SBSTTA 24 Plenary	Item 7 - Review and approval of CRP Item 9 - Review and approval of CRP Item 10 - Review and approval of CRP
8 June	Tue	SBSTTA 24 Plenary	Item 4 - Review and approval of CRP Item 5 - Review and approval of CRP
9 June	Wed	SBSTTA 24 Plenary	Review and approval of CRPs as needed Suspension of the meeting

Plenaries will be limited to three hours each day, from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Montreal (EDT), and held on the following dates:

First plenary, 17 - 19 May
Second plenary, 28 - 30 May
Third plenary, 11 - 13 June (adjournment)

The meeting will be adjourned at the conclusion of the third plenary session until a later date--for the finalization of the work.

Timeline

Notes:

There will be a 15-minute break during each plenary session, approximately 1.5 hours into the session.
No sessions will be held in parallel. Therefore, where a contact group is planned for the same day as a plenary session or another contact group, it will be scheduled to avoid a clash of times.
Indications as to whether contact groups are expected to be established ( → CG) or not ( → CRP) are for planning purposes only.

Date	Day	Meeting	Agenda item, activity
16 May	Sun	SBI 3 Plenary	Items 1, 2 Item 3 - Completion of first reading → CRP Item 4 - Completion of first reading → CRP Item 5 - Open the item → Statement by the Co-Chairs of WG2020 Item 6 - Completion of first reading → CG
17 May	Mon	SBI 3 Plenary	Item 7 - Completion of first reading → CG Item 8 - First reading → CRP Item 9 - Completion of first reading → CG
18 May	Tue	SBI 3 Plenary	Item 11 - Completion of first reading → CRP Items 10, 12, 13 - Completion of first reading → CRP/CG Adjournment
19 May	Wed	SBI contact groups (CG)	CG: SBI item 6 CG: SBI item 7
20 May	Thu	SBI contact groups (CG)	CG: SBI item 6 CG: SBI item 9
21 May	Fri	SBI contact groups (CG)	CG: SBI item 7 CG: SBI item 9
28 May	Fri	SBI 3 Plenary	Item 3 - Review and approval of CRP Item 4 - Review and approval of CRP Item 5 - Completion of first reading → CRP
29 May	Sat	SBI 3 Plenary	Item 6 - Review and approval of CRP Item 7 - Review and approval of CRP
30 May	Sun	SBI 3 Plenary	Item 9 - Review and approval of CRP Items 10, 12, 13 Completion of first reading (continued from 18 May as needed) → CRP/CG Update from the Secretariat on item 14
1 June	Tue	SBSTTA/SBI contact groups	CG: SBI items 5, 11 or 13 as needed
2 June	Wed	SBSTTA/SBI contact groups	CG: SBI items 5, 11 or 13 as needed
3 June	Thu	SBSTTA/SBI contact groups	CG: SBI items 5, 11 or 13 as needed
4 June	Fri	SBSTTA/SBI contact groups	CG: SBI items 5, 11 or 13 as needed
11 June	Fri	SBI 3 Plenary	Item 5 - Review and approval of CRP Item 8 - Review and approval of CRP Item 10 - Review and approval of CRP
12 June	Sat	SBI 3 Plenary	Item 11 - Review and approval of CRP Item 12 - Review and approval of CRP Item 13 - Review and approval of CRP
13 June	Sun	SBI 3 Plenary	Review and approval of CRPs as needed Suspension of the meeting