Relevant provisions of COP decisions on cooperation
Decision 16/35. Cooperation with other conventions and international organizations
Noting with appreciation the support provided by the Government of Switzerland and the leadership provided by the United Nations Environment Programme in the Bern process, the organization of the Bern III Conference on cooperation among the biodiversity-related conventions for the implementation of the Framework and follow-up activities,
Noting with appreciation also the work of the Co-Chairs of the Bern III Conference and the active participation of representatives of Parties to the conventions, the secretariats of various multilateral environmental agreements, relevant organizations and stakeholders who participated in the Conference,
3. Takes note of the outcomes of the Bern III Conference as an important contribution to effective implementation of the Framework;
4. Notes the work of the Joint Liaison Group of the Rio Conventions and the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions for enhancing cooperation and synergies among the conventions;
9. Welcomes the sixth joint work plan (2024–2030) of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat;
13. Invites Parties to consider the report of the Bern III Conference;
16. Invites Parties and other Governments to continue to enhance synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions, in line with options for action at the national level provided in decision XIII/24, in accordance with their national circumstances and priorities;
Decision 15/13 - Cooperation with other conventions and international organizations
Welcoming with appreciation the support provided by the Government of Switzerland for the organization of the consultation workshops of biodiversity-related conventions on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (Bern I and II) and welcoming the reports of both workshops,
11. Encourages Parties to implement the Convention and other biodiversity-related conventions and multilateral agreements to which they are party, in a complementary manner, including in reviewing and updating their national biodiversity strategies and action plans, in order to enable the effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework;
Decision 14/30. Cooperation with other conventions, international organizations and initiatives
2. Welcomes the work of other biodiversity-related conventions to enhance cooperation and synergies among the conventions in line with its decision XIII/24, including the relevant decisions of their governing bodies;
8. Recognizes the importance of enhancing synergies at the national level, and encourages Parties and invites other Governments, as appropriate to their national circumstances, as well as indigenous peoples and local communities, non-governmental organizations and other relevant organizations to continue to take action from among the options for enhancing synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions at the national level contained in annex I of decision XIII/24 and also invites Parties, other governments and relevant organizations in a position to do so, to provide technical and financial support for capacity-building activities in developing countries;
15. Calls upon Parties, in accordance with national priorities and capacity, in the light of the results of the consultation process conducted under the “Caring for Coasts” initiative, the resulting work plan presented in the information document issued by the Executive Secretary and the related resolutions adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals at its twelfth meeting and the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat at its thirteenth meeting to provide further support for the implementation of the activities of the proposed work plan, including, among other things, the global “Coastal Forum” focused on coastal wetland conservation;
16. Requests the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of resources, to further coordinate the “Caring for Coasts” initiative with the secretariats of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals and the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, and other relevant organizations, such as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in the context of its Blue Bio Trade Initiative, in order to advance synergies in their work on the management and restoration of coastal ecosystems worldwide;
19. Invites the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions to consider ways and means of strengthening cooperation among the conventions in order to support their implementation by small island developing States, including with regard to monitoring and reporting, in the context of existing strategic alliances, networks and initiatives and in the context of the implementation of the Programme of Work on Island Biodiversity and the S.A.M.O.A. Pathway;
Decision XIII/24. Cooperation with other conventions and international organizations
B. Options to enhance synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions
3. Appreciates the work of the governing bodies and their bureaux, standing committees and equivalent bodies of other biodiversity-related conventions in contributing to the Party-led process established under decision XII/6;
4. Recognizes, in the context of the ongoing work on synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions, the importance of the strategic plans of the conventions, the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and any follow-up, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, and related reporting and indicators;
7. Recalls decision XII/30 on the financial mechanism and stresses the importance of enhancing programmatic synergies among relevant biodiversity-related conventions;
8. Welcomes the options for action to enhance cooperation, coordination and synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions elaborated by the workshop held in Geneva in February 2016;
9. Also welcomes the options for enhancing synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions at the national level contained in annex I of the present decision, and the road map for enhancing synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions at the international level 2017-2020 contained in annex II of the present decision;
10. Invites the governing bodies of the biodiversity-related conventions to further strengthen cooperation and coordination at the global level within their respective mandates and enhance synergies among themselves, to encourage mutually supportive decisions, pursue their efforts to align their own strategies with the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets, where appropriate, and to support implementation of the options for action by Parties contained in annex I to the present decision, and the road map contained in annex II of the present decision;
11. Invites Parties and other Governments, as appropriate to their national circumstances, as well as indigenous peoples and local communities, non-governmental organizations and other relevant organizations, to implement options for action at the national level as contained in annex I to the present decision, and further invites Parties and other Governments to establish or strengthen, at the national level, mechanisms to enhance the effective coordination among relevant national and subnational authorities, including biodiversity focal points, and support mainstreaming;
12. Further invites Parties to identify opportunities to enhance synergies at the local and regional levels, including with respect to sites with multiple international designations;
13. Requests the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of resources, and in consultation with the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions, to enter the information missing from the table contained in annex II to the present decision, specify a timeline for the various actions identified, and, where possible, undertake the actions described in the table;
14. Also requests the Executive Secretary to transmit the road map to the relevant bodies of the other conventions through the members of the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions with a view to facilitating the implementation of the actions, and to report thereon to the Subsidiary Body on Implementation at its second meeting;
17. Invites the secretariats of the biodiversity-related conventions, the governing bodies of the conventions, and the international organizations that provide the secretariats for these conventions, as well as representatives of indigenous peoples and local communities, global non-governmental organizations and other relevant international organizations, to undertake, where appropriate and subject to the availability of resources, the actions foreseen in annex II, and further invites the secretariats of the biodiversity-related conventions to facilitate the involvement of relevant experts in the work of the informal advisory group on synergies;
18. Calls on the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions, in close collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as well as United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Development Programme, to continue to strengthen its work to enhance coherence and cooperation among the biodiversity-related conventions, including in implementing the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and any follow-up to this strategic plan, and requests the Executive Secretary to provide information on progress made to the Subsidiary Body on Implementation at its second meeting and the Conference of the Parties at its fourteenth meeting, including any proposals to further advance this work;
19. Invites the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions to provide input and lessons learned on their synergies process to the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions, as appropriate.
Decision XII/6 on Cooperation with other conventions, international organizations and initiatives
Recalling decision XI/6, including paragraph 3, in which it urged Parties to pursue efforts to enhance synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions to promote policy coherence, improve efficiency and enhance coordination and cooperation at all levels, and with a view to strengthening Parties’ ownership of the process,
Reaffirming the need to strengthen synergistic processes among the biodiversity-related conventions, building on the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 as the central pillar, in close collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and other relevant entities of the United Nations system, aiming for further development of system-wide tools and procedures to enable implementation of the conventions, in a harmonized manner, learning from other relevant processes, including the process within the chemicals and waste cluster,
Noting, with appreciation, the work of the biodiversity-related conventions to strengthen synergies among them and with relevant United Nations organizations,
Noting the benefits of greater involvement by national Governments in strengthening synergies for implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the respective biodiversity-related conventions at the national level, and recalling paragraph 89 of the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which encourages parties to multilateral environmental agreements to consider further measures to promote policy coherence at all relevant levels, improve efficiency, reduce unnecessary overlap and duplication, and enhance coordination and cooperation among the multilateral environmental agreements,
Stressing the importance of supporting the biodiversity-related conventions to improve collaboration, communication and coordination with relevant organizations and processes as well as with other related multilateral environmental agreements at the national level,
Without prejudice to the specific objectives and recognizing the respective mandates of these conventions,
1. Welcomes the International Plant Protection Convention as a member of the Liaison Group of the Biodiversity-related Conventions and notes with appreciation the role of the International Plant Protection Convention in helping to achieve Aichi Biodiversity Target 9;
2. Welcomes the efforts by the governing bodies of the biodiversity-related conventions to align their own strategies and plans with the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets;
3. Calls on the Liaison Group of the Biodiversity-related Conventions to continue its work to enhance coherence and cooperation in the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011 2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and to continue efforts to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary overlap and duplication at all relevant levels among the biodiversity-related conventions;
4. Reaffirming decision X/20, invites the members of the Liaison Group of the Biodiversity-related Conventions:
(a) To increase their cooperation, coordination and attention to synergies in the development of their respective reporting systems, including future online reporting systems, as a means to increase synergies in national reporting under the biodiversity-related conventions;
(b) To consider ways and means to increase cooperation on outreach and communication strategies;
(c) To undertake efforts to increase synergies with respect to monitoring and reporting and improve effectiveness through the use of coherent monitoring frameworks and indicator systems; and
(d) To consider ways to contribute to the assessment of progress in the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020; Decision XI/6. Cooperation with other conventions, international organizations, and initiatives
6. Welcomes the progress made under the Convention on Migratory Species, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the World Heritage Convention, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to reflect the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in their work;
7. Welcomes the fifth joint work plan (2011–2020) between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention and the joint work plan 2012-2014 between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on Migratory Species;
8. Welcomes also the work carried out under the Convention on Migratory Species and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to support Parties in incorporating the objectives of these Conventions into the revision of their national biodiversity strategies and action plans;
9. Welcomes the modus operandi adopted by the Biodiversity Liaison Group and supplementary information on its working arrangements, and the preparation of a modus operandi and terms of reference for the Joint Liaison Group of the Rio Conventions (as referred to in document UNEP/CBD/WG-RI/4/INF/18);
Decision XI/6. Cooperation with other conventions, international organizations, and initiatives
17. Requests the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of resources, to:
(a) Provide a report on the implementation of the modus operandi adopted by the Biodiversity Liaison Group and the Joint Liaison Group, evaluating their impact in enhancing coordination, coherence and national-level synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions;
(b) Propose, in consultation with Parties and other members of the Biodiversity Liaison Group and the Joint Liaison Group of the Rio Conventions, options for the form and content of a process to enhance coordination, coherence and national level synergies among the biodiversity related conventions and the Rio conventions, so as to increase the involvement of Parties in the work of the Biodiversity Liaison Group and the Joint Liaison Group;
(c) In consultation with other convention secretariats, draft suggestions for the Conference of the Parties on improving efficiency and reducing unnecessary overlap and duplication at all relevant levels among the biodiversity-related conventions and the Rio conventions, including through workshops held jointly with other conventions, with a view to identifying and reinforcing synergies;
(d) Liaise with the other biodiversity-related conventions and relevant organizations, through the Biodiversity Liaison Group and other forums, in order to seek ways of collaborating on the mid-term review of progress towards reaching the Aichi Biodiversity Targets;
Decision X/20. Cooperation with other conventions and international organizations and initiatives
7. Welcomes the initiative of the Executive Secretary to hold a retreat of the biodiversity related conventions and the agreement amongst Secretariats to consider the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 as a useful framework that is relevant to all biodiversity-related conventions;
8. Invites the Liaison Group of the Biodiversity-related Conventions to continue giving consideration to the harmonization of national reporting and, in this context, welcomes the progress made in the GEF Project on Facilitating National Reporting to Rio Conventions (FNR-Rio), as well as the project to streamline reporting by Pacific island countries to the biodiversity-related multilateral environmental agreements;
9. Invites the scientific advisory bodies of the biodiversity-related conventions and the Liaison Group of the Biodiversity-related Conventions to address at their future meetings options for enhanced cooperation, inter alia, with regard to work on cross-cutting issues, such as climate change, scientific criteria for the identification of ecologically or biologically significant areas in need of protection, and invasive alien species, in a manner consistent with their respective mandates, governance arrangements and agreed programmes of work and with a view to developing a coherent approach on these matters;
10. Requests the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Review of Implementation at its fourth meeting to, in order to increase the involvement of Parties in the work of the Liaison Group of the Biodiversity-related Conventions and the Joint Liaison Group of the Rio Conventions, determine the form and content of a process to enhance coordination, coherence and national level synergies among the biodiversity conventions;
11. Recognizing the importance of the coherent and synergistic implementation of the biodiversity related conventions, requests the Executive Secretary to:
(a) Review and, where necessary, update working arrangements, such as the joint work plans, with the other biodiversity-related conventions;
(b) Consider ways to assist Parties to reflect the full range of activities of all biodiversity-related conventions in the context of the revision of national biodiversity strategies and action plans, as well as in relevant capacity-building activities;
12. Recalling resolution Conf. 10.4 (Rev. CoP14) of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora on cooperation and synergy with the Convention on Biological Diversity, requests the Executive Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, to develop working arrangements that promote the coherent and mutually supportive implementation of the two conventions and their respective strategies;
13. Recalling that decision VI/20 recognizes the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals as the lead partner in conserving and sustainably using migratory species over their entire range, requests the Executive Secretary, in collaboration with the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Migratory Species, to update the joint work programme between the two conventions and to collaborate on providing support and guidance to Parties on the integration of migratory species considerations in national biodiversity strategies and action plans;
14. Notes the progress in implementation of the joint work plan between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and expresses its appreciation to the Ramsar Convention, and its Secretariat and Scientific and Technical Review Panel, for the continued cooperation and welcomes the extension of the joint work plan for the period beyond 2010;
IX/27. Cooperation among multilateral environmental agreements and other organizations
3. Underlining the important role of the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions in exploring options for enhancing synergies, avoiding duplication of efforts and improving the coherent implementation of the biodiversity-related conventions, encourages the executive heads of the secretariats of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on Migratory Species, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the World Heritage Convention, and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, to meet on a more regular basis;
4. Invites the Liaison Group of biodiversity-related conventions to examine the report of the Ad Hoc Joint Working Group on Enhancing Cooperation and Coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions (report of its third meeting in Rome 25–28 March 2008) with a view to identify options for improved implementation of and cooperation among the biodiversity-related conventions;
5. Invites the scientific bodies of the biodiversity-related conventions and the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions to address at their future meetings, options for enhanced cooperation with regard to work on cross-cutting issues, such as climate change and invasive alien species,, in a manner consistent with their respective mandates, governance arrangements and agreed programmes and requests the Executive Secretary to inform the Joint Liaison Group of the Rio Conventions of this and to invite them to participate in relevant discussions;
VIII/16. Cooperation with other conventions and international organizations and initiatives
14. Requests the Executive Secretary to liaise with the secretariat of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea;
15. Invites the secretariat of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture to join the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions;
16. Welcomes the revised joint work programme with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (2006-2008) /, and, where countries are party to both conventions, invites national focal points of the Convention on Biological Diversity to undertake relevant activities of the joint work programme in collaboration, as appropriate, with their counterparts for the Convention on Migratory Species, and requests the Executive Secretary to collaborate with the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species to implement the activities identified in the joint work programme.
VIII/16. Cooperation with other conventions and international organizations and initiatives
6. Welcomes the paper developed jointly by the secretariats of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals, the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) and the World Heritage Convention on options for enhanced cooperation among the biodiversity-related conventions (UNEP/CBD/WG-RI/1/7/Add.2), and encourages the liaison group of the biodiversity-related conventions to address concrete elements such as harmonization of national reporting, and applying the provisional framework of goals and targets for evaluating progress towards 2010, and indicators consistent with this framework, across the conventions;
VII/26. Cooperation with other conventions and international organizations and initiatives
2. Requests in this context, the Executive Secretary, to invite the secretariats of the other four biodiversity conventions (CITES, Ramsar, CMS and World Heritage Convention) to form a liaison group to enhance coherence and cooperation in their implementation, and to report on progress made to the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties;
6. Requests all Parties and other Governments to support this initiative at the national level and in relevant forums.
Decision VI/20 Cooperation with other organizations, initiatives and conventions
Cooperation with the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971)
15. Welcomes and endorses the third joint work plan (2002-2006) between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971)(39);
16. Notes that the third joint work plan includes a range of cooperative actions in relation to several ecosystem themes and cross-cutting issues of the Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as proposing actions to harmonize institutional processes, and requests the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and the Executive Secretary to take these actions fully into consideration in furthering the respective programmes of work for these areas; Cooperation with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
17. Welcomes and endorses the joint work programme between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals(40);
18. Notes that the joint work programme between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on Migratory Species includes a range of cooperative actions in relation to several ecosystem themes and cross-cutting issues of the Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as proposing actions to harmonize institutional processes, and requests the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and the Executive Secretary to take these actions fully into consideration in furthering the respective programmes of work for these areas;
19. Recognizes migratory species as a unique globally important component of biological diversity under the Convention on Migratory Species, and further recognizes that the conservation and sustainable use of migratory species need to be undertaken in their migratory range and through cooperative actions.;
20. Invites the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species and Parties to that Convention, to compile and disseminate through the clearing-house mechanism of the Convention on Biological Diversity case-studies on migratory species and their habitats, relevant to thematic areas and cross-cutting issues under the Convention on Biological Diversity;
21. Invites the Executive Secretary to generate, in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species and relevant organizations, guidance for the integration of migratory species into the national biodiversity strategies and action plans and ongoing and future programmes of work under the Convention on Biological Diversity;
22. Urges Parties to report through their national reports on the extent to which they address migratory species at the national level, and on their cooperation with other range States;
23. Recognizes the Convention on Migratory Species as the lead partner in conserving and sustainably using migratory species over their entire range and also recognizes that the Convention on Migratory Species provides an international legal framework through which range States can cooperate on migratory species issues; Cooperation with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
24. Invites the secretariats of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Convention on Biological Diversity to continue to cooperate and coordinate activities with a view to facilitating the exchange of relevant information and experience and enhancing synergies in areas of mutual interest;
Cooperation with the International Plant Protection Convention
31. Welcomes the recommendations of the Open-ended Working Group of the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures on Specifications for an International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures on Living Modified Organisms, in particular to include expertise on the provisions and implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and on the requirement for consistency with the Protocol;
32. Requests the Executive Secretary to continue to maintain close cooperation with the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures of the International Plant Protection Convention as regards the development of standards for plant pest risk analysis involving living modified organisms;
33. Encourages Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and Governments participating in the International Plant Protection Convention process to include experts on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Convention on Biological Diversity in their delegations to meetings under the International Plant Protection Convention;
34. Urges the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures to ensure that the international standards to be developed for the purpose of phytosanitary measures regarding living modified organisms are in harmony with the objective and all relevant requirements of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;
Decision V/21 Cooperation with other bodies
4. Welcomes and endorses the second joint work plan (2000-2001) between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/5/INF/12), and commends it as a useful example of future cooperation between the Convention on Biological Diversity and other environmental conventions;
5. Notes that the second joint work plan between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands includes a range of cooperative actions in relation to several ecosystem themes and cross-cutting issues of the Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as proposing actions to harmonize institutional processes, and requests the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and the Executive Secretary to take these actions fully into consideration in furthering the respective programmes of work for these areas;
6. Recalling decision III/21, takes note of the United Nations Environment Programme/Convention on Migratory Species study on the complementarities between the Convention on Migratory Species and the Convention on Biological Diversity (UNEP/CBD/COP/5/INF/28);
7. Requests the Executive Secretary to take the study into consideration and, in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species, to develop a proposal on how migratory species could be integrated into the work programme of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the role the Convention on Migratory Species could play in the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity with regard to, inter alia, the ecosystem approach, the Global Taxonomy Initiative, indicators, assessments and monitoring, protected areas, public education and awareness, and sustainable use, including tourism;
8. Requests the Executive Secretary to submit the proposal referred to in paragraph 7 above for review by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice prior to the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties and requests the Subsidiary Body to provide advice to the Conference of the Parties at its sixth meeting;
Decision IV/15. The relationship of the Convention on Biological Diversity with the Commission on Sustainable Development and biodiversity-related conventions, other international agreements, institutions and processes of relevance
2. Endorses the Joint Work Plan with the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar) contained in UNEP/CBD/COP/4/Inf.8, as recommended by decisions III/21 and IV/4 as a framework for enhanced cooperation between these conventions and encourages its implementation;
Decision III/21 Relationship of the Convention with the Commission on Sustainable Development and biodiversity-related conventions, other international agreements, institutions and processes of relevance
2. Endorses the memoranda of cooperation entered into by the Executive Secretary with the secretariats of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, and encourages the development of further such arrangements with relevant international biological diversity-related bodies, including regional conventions;
5. Encourages the further development of cooperative arrangements at the scientific and technical level with appropriate biological diversity-related conventions and institutions, such as the Scientific Council of the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species and the Scientific and Technical Review Panel of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, through the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice; Decision III/21 Relationship of the Convention with the Commission on Sustainable Development and biodiversity-related conventions, other international agreements, institutions and processes of relevance
7. Decides:
(a) In relation to cooperation with the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance:
(i) to note the Strategic Plan for 1997-2002 adopted by the Conference of Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, in March 1996, which includes actions aimed at creating synergy between that Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity;
(ii) to invite the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance to cooperate as a lead partner in the implementation of activities under the Convention related to wetlands, and, in particular, requests the Executive Secretary to seek inputs from the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, in the preparation of documentation concerning the status and trends of inland water ecosystems for the consideration of the Conference of the Parties at its fourth meeting;
(b) In relation to cooperation with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species, to request the Executive Secretary, in consultation with the Secretariat of that Convention, to evaluate how the implementation of that Convention can complement the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity through its transboundary coordinated and concerted action on a regional, continental and global scale;
8. Urges the Parties to ensure that the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, and of migratory species and their habitats, are fully incorporated into national strategies, plan and programmes to preserve biological diversity;
9. Invites the governing bodies of biological diversity-related conventions to consider the possible contributions of those conventions to the implementation of the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and to share experience with the Conference of the Parties on, inter alia, successful management and conservation practices;
10. Calls on the national focal points of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the competent authorities of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to cooperate on the implementation of these conventions at the national level to avoid duplication of effort;
Decision II/13 Cooperation With Other Biodiversity-Related Conventions
4. Requests the Executive Secretary to coordinate with the Secretariats of relevant biodiversity-related conventions with a view to:
(a) Facilitating exchange of information and experience;
(b) Exploring the possibility of recommending procedures for harmonizing, to the extent desirable and practicable, the reporting requirements of Parties under those instruments and conventions;
(c) Exploring the possibility of coordinating their respective programmes of work;
(d) Consulting on how such conventions and other international legal instruments can contribute to the implementation of the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity;
5. Invites also the governing bodies of such conventions and other international legal instruments related to biological diversity to consider at their next meetings their possible contribution to the implementation of the goals and objectives of the Convention;
6. Further requests the Executive Secretary to prepare, for its third meeting, a report on the implementation of this decision, containing concrete recommendations aimed at promoting and strengthening institutional cooperation with other global and regional biodiversity-related conventions;
