Major Group: Scientific and Technological Community, Educational and Academic Entitites
The major group of scientific and technological community was identified in Agenda 21, General Assembly resolution 47/190 of 22 December 1992, and educational and academic entities were mentioned as stakeholders in General Assembly resolution 67/290 of 9 July 2013.
IX/27. Cooperation among multilateral environmental agreements and other organizations
6. Welcomes the establishment of the Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity (the Consortium) – a collaborative partnership between the Convention on Biological Diversity and eight leading scientific institutions (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the French National Museum of Natural History, the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the Mexican National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity and the Muséum Nature Montreal) – to promote the effective implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and, as appropriate, its Cartagena Protocol through the organization of training and educational activities focusing on technical and scientific issues related to implementation of the Convention, and encourages other relevant scientific partners to join the Consortium;
Decision V/21 Cooperation with other bodies
2. Invites the Executive Secretary to strengthen cooperation, particularly in the area of scientific and technical assessment of biodiversity, bearing in mind the importance of biodiversity assessments in identifying emerging issues and reviewing the programmes of work and the impact of measures taken under the Convention;
9. Takes note of the International Biodiversity Observation Year of DIVERSITAS, to take place from 2001 to 2002, and requests the Executive Secretary and invites Parties, to find ways and means of collaborating with this initiative and ensure complementarity with the initiative foreseen to be undertaken by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity to increase scientific knowledge and public awareness of the crucial role of biodiversity for sustainable development;
10. Requests the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice to identify opportunities for collaboration with the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in contributing to the assessment needs of the Convention, in particular through the pilot scientific assessment projects referred to in paragraph 29 (b) of decision V/20;
11. Decides to accept the invitation of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment to be represented in the Executive Committee, nominates for this purpose the Chair of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and the Executive Secretary, and directs that the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice be kept informed on developments and progress;
Universities and scientific institutions are in the unique position of offering help in three, interrelated areas:
- Through the development and/or strengthening of capacity;
- Through knowledge in the form of research, methodology, technologies and assessments;
- Through direct actions in conservation, sustainable use and benefit sharing.
Cooperation with the academic and research community can take many forms, and be approached from a number of different angles. Such cooperation can also be a platform for universities to expand their scientific and technical cooperation in support of biodiversity with institutions in other nations, particularly developing country states.
This section briefly outlines just a few of the potential areas for collaboration and types of activities that could be envisaged under each.
Research
Universities and research centres generate new and important knowledge of direct relevance to the objectives of the Convention and its Cartagena Protocol. There are opportunities for increasing the quality and breadth of expert advice on scientific issues entering Convention and Protocol processes, and also on matters of policy and implementation. The research community is also best placed to identify and explore emerging issues, and thus help to shape an international research agenda that effectively and proactively supports biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.
Cooperation in the area of research could take on the form of, for example:
- Contributions to CBD documents, either directly or through peer review;
- Developing tools (e.g. scenarios, ecosystem valuation techniques, impact assessment techniques) that transform the best scientific understanding into clear policy options;
- The design and/or implementation of research programs/projects that investigate questions of direct relevance to the Convention and the Cartegena Protocol.
Communication and Exchange
Universities and research centres, through their own faculty and their links to the international academic community, can draw on a vast and multidisciplinary range of expertise to shed new light on the important problems facing biodiversity. Seminars, conferences and other academic forums are ideal opportunities for stimulating such exchanges. These events can also be targeted towards the wider community, and serve to raise awareness of the importance of biological diversity.
Cooperation in this area could involve:
- Interdiciplinary seminar series and conferences, organized locally, nationally and internationally;
- Public events leading up to the annual celebration of May 22 - International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD).
Training and Capacity-building
A major obstacle to meeting the Convention's objectives is the lack of capacity among member countries to carry out their obligations. Scientific capabilities may be limited (for taxonomic identification or ecological monitoring for example), information management skills lacking (hindering data analysis and reporting), and legal capacity inadequate (preventing the effective translation of international policy into national legislation). Universities and research centres are not only repositories of such capacity, but also have invaluable experience in how to effectively transmit such knowledge.
Cooperation in the area of training and capacity-building could involve:
- Developing training modules or programmes for CBD national focal points;
- Developing and testing practical guidelines in support of implementation, particularly for developing countries;
- Registering available training opportunities on Biosafety in the Compendium of Biosafety Training Courses in the Biosafety Clearing-House, doing the same for any Biodiversity training opportunities.
The wider context: International technical and scientific cooperation
Parties to the Convention, under Article 18, are required to promote international technical and scientific cooperation in the field of conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, where necessary through the appropriate international and national institutions. As such, there are opportunities for the activities outlined above to serve as a platform for wider cooperation, potentially eligible for funding by governments as part of their obligations under the Convention.
The Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) STAP provides independent scientific and technical advice to the GEF on its policies, strategies, programs, and projects.
